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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| David Miliband: politician with star quality finds himself with no place | David Miliband: politician with star quality finds himself with no place |
| (6 months later) | |
| On the day that the curtain finally came down on the career of David Miliband in British politics it took an old stager to point out why the former foreign secretary remains such a compelling figure. | On the day that the curtain finally came down on the career of David Miliband in British politics it took an old stager to point out why the former foreign secretary remains such a compelling figure. |
| Denis Healey, one of the biggest beasts in the Labour movement, told the New Statesman that Miliband is blessed with a charisma that outshines his brother Ed. | Denis Healey, one of the biggest beasts in the Labour movement, told the New Statesman that Miliband is blessed with a charisma that outshines his brother Ed. |
| The remarks by the 95-year-old former chancellor highlighted the problem facing Miliband which, in turn, explains why he has taken the surprising decision to turn his back – for the moment at least – on British politics. | The remarks by the 95-year-old former chancellor highlighted the problem facing Miliband which, in turn, explains why he has taken the surprising decision to turn his back – for the moment at least – on British politics. |
| One friend said the former foreign secretary has decided to head the International Rescue Committee charity in New York because he faced a "permanent pantomime" whatever role he took as an MP. Joining the shadow cabinet or remaining on the backbenches would have led to endless speculation about whether he was supporting his brother, the friend said. | One friend said the former foreign secretary has decided to head the International Rescue Committee charity in New York because he faced a "permanent pantomime" whatever role he took as an MP. Joining the shadow cabinet or remaining on the backbenches would have led to endless speculation about whether he was supporting his brother, the friend said. |
| The friend added: "It is very important that the Labour party accepts that David Miliband is not going to be the prince over the water. He is not going to come back to run Labour. That has gone." | The friend added: "It is very important that the Labour party accepts that David Miliband is not going to be the prince over the water. He is not going to come back to run Labour. That has gone." |
| When a shocked Miliband was told he had lost the leadership of the Labour party to his younger brother in 2010, despite winning more votes among MPs and party members, he probably had little inkling that he would end up moving to New York. He initially thought he would focus on the ground-breaking Movement for Change organisation, which champions a new grassroots approach to politics, as he bided his time before deciding whether to return to the frontbench. | When a shocked Miliband was told he had lost the leadership of the Labour party to his younger brother in 2010, despite winning more votes among MPs and party members, he probably had little inkling that he would end up moving to New York. He initially thought he would focus on the ground-breaking Movement for Change organisation, which champions a new grassroots approach to politics, as he bided his time before deciding whether to return to the frontbench. |
| Many of his supporters, a large proportion of whom hail from the Blairite wing of the party, hoped that he would ride to the rescue of Labour once his brother proved inadequate to the task of leading. But the problem for those dreaming of a return for the former foreign secretary is that Ed Miliband has turned out neither to be a stellar leader nor a disaster, according to Blairites. | Many of his supporters, a large proportion of whom hail from the Blairite wing of the party, hoped that he would ride to the rescue of Labour once his brother proved inadequate to the task of leading. But the problem for those dreaming of a return for the former foreign secretary is that Ed Miliband has turned out neither to be a stellar leader nor a disaster, according to Blairites. |
| There is a growing feeling that Labour could win the next election, though supporters of Tony Blair say Labour needs to be much further ahead of the Tories for that to happen. "The whole thing is very depressing," one senior Labour figure said. "It just feels as if there is no future for David's kind of politics in the Labour party. This is bad news." | There is a growing feeling that Labour could win the next election, though supporters of Tony Blair say Labour needs to be much further ahead of the Tories for that to happen. "The whole thing is very depressing," one senior Labour figure said. "It just feels as if there is no future for David's kind of politics in the Labour party. This is bad news." |
| The former foreign secretary gave a vivid, if slightly unintentional, illustration of his star quality in January when he appeared to fashion a different argument on the economy. In a debate on government plans to uprate benefits below the rate of inflation he moved away from the Ed Balls mantra of opposing cuts to develop an argument about what the priorities should be within the smaller overall spending limits. | The former foreign secretary gave a vivid, if slightly unintentional, illustration of his star quality in January when he appeared to fashion a different argument on the economy. In a debate on government plans to uprate benefits below the rate of inflation he moved away from the Ed Balls mantra of opposing cuts to develop an argument about what the priorities should be within the smaller overall spending limits. |
| Miliband said he would "take the envelope" set by the government on benefits but then called for a debate about choices. "Taking five times as much from lower and middle-income Britain as from the richest in Britain is not equality of sacrifice," he said. | Miliband said he would "take the envelope" set by the government on benefits but then called for a debate about choices. "Taking five times as much from lower and middle-income Britain as from the richest in Britain is not equality of sacrifice," he said. |
| His intervention had an instant impact on the Labour party and fuelled speculation that Ed Miliband, who is acutely aware the party has yet to build up a commanding lead on the economy, might be tempted to replace Balls as shadow chancellor with his brother. Balls made it clear he would return to the backbenches if he was stripped of the shadow chancellorship. | His intervention had an instant impact on the Labour party and fuelled speculation that Ed Miliband, who is acutely aware the party has yet to build up a commanding lead on the economy, might be tempted to replace Balls as shadow chancellor with his brother. Balls made it clear he would return to the backbenches if he was stripped of the shadow chancellorship. |
| One veteran of a more recent vintage was keen to say that if the curtain has been drawn on Miliband, it may only be for the interval. Peter Mandelson told the BBC of the prospects for a return: "Never say never." | One veteran of a more recent vintage was keen to say that if the curtain has been drawn on Miliband, it may only be for the interval. Peter Mandelson told the BBC of the prospects for a return: "Never say never." |
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