Wednesday, March 27, 2013

David Miliband, former UK Foreign secretary, announced today he is standing down as an MP to take the job of President and Chief Executive of the International Rescue Committee, a non-profit aid organisation based in New York City. The former Cabinet minister stood for election as leader of the Labour Party, losing out to his brother, Ed Miliband.

In a letter to Alan Donnelly, chair of the South Shields Constituency Labour Party, David Miliband lists the reasons for his stepping back from the limelight of British politics: “After the leadership election, I felt I could be most helpful to the party on the front line, in South Shields and around the country, rather than on the front bench in Parliament. I felt this gave Ed the space and at the same time the support he needed to lead the party without distraction.”

David Miliband expanded the reasons in an interview with the BBC, saying it had been hard “to accept that I can best help the Labour Party by not just giving the space between the front bench and the back bench to Ed, but the space between the front bench and 3,000 miles away”.

Ed Miliband praised his brother, saying British politics would be “a poorer place” without David: “Having spoken to him a lot over the past few months, I know how long and hard he thought about this before deciding to take up the offer. I also know how enthusiastic he is about the potential this job provides.”