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David Miliband 'feared being a distraction' David Miliband 'feared being a distraction'
(6 months later)
David Miliband quit British politics admitting he had wrestled long and very hard about an offer of a frontbench post, but sensed such a return would be so distracting to the Labour unity created under his brother's leadership that it would damage him, his fragile relations with his younger sibling and the party's chances of election in 2015.David Miliband quit British politics admitting he had wrestled long and very hard about an offer of a frontbench post, but sensed such a return would be so distracting to the Labour unity created under his brother's leadership that it would damage him, his fragile relations with his younger sibling and the party's chances of election in 2015.
The news, leaked from his local South Shields party to the Daily Mirror, prompted the predictable array of political reaction. His closest allies such as Tony Blair tried to give him a cheery send-off, adding the departure was time out, not time over.The news, leaked from his local South Shields party to the Daily Mirror, prompted the predictable array of political reaction. His closest allies such as Tony Blair tried to give him a cheery send-off, adding the departure was time out, not time over.
Lord Mandelson said if he could come back twice to cabinet, the fluid state of politics meant Miliband could yet return. The Conservatives disinterred New Labour once more just so that it could one more time pronounce its death, the most repeated burial in modern politics.Lord Mandelson said if he could come back twice to cabinet, the fluid state of politics meant Miliband could yet return. The Conservatives disinterred New Labour once more just so that it could one more time pronounce its death, the most repeated burial in modern politics.
The left in the unions, the interest group that did most to block David Miliband's hopes of the Labour party leadership in 2010, welcomed the demise of the best and boldest of the Blairite zombies.The left in the unions, the interest group that did most to block David Miliband's hopes of the Labour party leadership in 2010, welcomed the demise of the best and boldest of the Blairite zombies.
Ed Miliband himself, doubtless full of mixed emotions, said he was sad and went further than before in admitting the psychological pain caused to their relationship by his decision to stand against his brother. "We went through a difficult leadership contest but time has helped to heal that," he said.Ed Miliband himself, doubtless full of mixed emotions, said he was sad and went further than before in admitting the psychological pain caused to their relationship by his decision to stand against his brother. "We went through a difficult leadership contest but time has helped to heal that," he said.
Ed twice offered his vanquished brother the shadow chancellorship and twice was spurned. There was a further broader rolling conversation in early January when the New-York-based charity International Rescue started to sound David out for the role of chief executive, before formally offering him the job on Monday.Ed twice offered his vanquished brother the shadow chancellorship and twice was spurned. There was a further broader rolling conversation in early January when the New-York-based charity International Rescue started to sound David out for the role of chief executive, before formally offering him the job on Monday.
Some of David Miliband's closest political allies in the shadow cabinet had also been telling him that he could not defer much longer – either he must rejoin the shadow cabinet or accept that he was out of mainstream politics until after the general election.Some of David Miliband's closest political allies in the shadow cabinet had also been telling him that he could not defer much longer – either he must rejoin the shadow cabinet or accept that he was out of mainstream politics until after the general election.
The era of a favoured brother – or influential figure such as Lord Jenkins – returning from the political wilderness and expecting to be drafted into a plum job were over. "These days you either fight in the trenches during the lean years or you are not welcome," was the verdict of a political ally.The era of a favoured brother – or influential figure such as Lord Jenkins – returning from the political wilderness and expecting to be drafted into a plum job were over. "These days you either fight in the trenches during the lean years or you are not welcome," was the verdict of a political ally.
For David Miliband himself, January provided a sense of an ending. "The obvious thing was to get on the pitch here," he acknowledged on Thursday. But he felt whatever he said was going to be interpreted, reinterpreted and misinterpreted. If he edged one inch from the phraseology of his brother, the media would pounce. It left him to speak in coded aphorisms, duly denounced as vacuous by his enemies. One of his friends said: "He could speak, but felt voiceless. He could not go on like that. He was imprisoned."For David Miliband himself, January provided a sense of an ending. "The obvious thing was to get on the pitch here," he acknowledged on Thursday. But he felt whatever he said was going to be interpreted, reinterpreted and misinterpreted. If he edged one inch from the phraseology of his brother, the media would pounce. It left him to speak in coded aphorisms, duly denounced as vacuous by his enemies. One of his friends said: "He could speak, but felt voiceless. He could not go on like that. He was imprisoned."
He tried to do an interview with the Times about heading a new Global Ocean Commission with the former president of Costa Rica, José María Figueres. The issue was brutally reduced to an interpretation of his relationship with his brother.He tried to do an interview with the Times about heading a new Global Ocean Commission with the former president of Costa Rica, José María Figueres. The issue was brutally reduced to an interpretation of his relationship with his brother.
Equally, an ambiguous speech in a Commons welfare debate that left open the possibility that he accepted the Tory spending "envelope", when he said he was accepting it in his speech only for the sake of argument left him frustrated and feeling that the dynamics of his relationship entrapped him.Equally, an ambiguous speech in a Commons welfare debate that left open the possibility that he accepted the Tory spending "envelope", when he said he was accepting it in his speech only for the sake of argument left him frustrated and feeling that the dynamics of his relationship entrapped him.
He admitted it was not easy to accept the necessity of exile: "It's hard to come to the conclusion that you cannot make the contribution you want to make in the field of your own chosen endeavour in your own country."He admitted it was not easy to accept the necessity of exile: "It's hard to come to the conclusion that you cannot make the contribution you want to make in the field of your own chosen endeavour in your own country."
Another Labour person who saw him chair a thinktank event a few months ago said: "It was clear he was totally involved and up to speed with UK politics, and for me he either had to be totally engaged on the frontbench, or he had to leave. There was no point having that level of engagement, and being half in and half out. He used to say you could be on on the frontline and not in the frontbench, but I don't think he believed it."Another Labour person who saw him chair a thinktank event a few months ago said: "It was clear he was totally involved and up to speed with UK politics, and for me he either had to be totally engaged on the frontbench, or he had to leave. There was no point having that level of engagement, and being half in and half out. He used to say you could be on on the frontline and not in the frontbench, but I don't think he believed it."
Some have said he could not return owing to fundamental political differences with his brother, as if disagreements on how to renew Labour after Blair and Brown were irreconcilable.Some have said he could not return owing to fundamental political differences with his brother, as if disagreements on how to renew Labour after Blair and Brown were irreconcilable.
The same source disagreed: "I don't think he differs with his brother in his critique of Conservative economic policy. I think he agrees with Ed that Labour should not promise to stick to the same spending plans as the Conservatives, but he would differ in that he thinks for the party to have the public credibility to make that argument, Labour has to do tougher things on what spending it would cut and how it would address the deficit. They are not insurmountable differences. It is largely in the speech he intended to deliver to the party if he had been accepted leader."The same source disagreed: "I don't think he differs with his brother in his critique of Conservative economic policy. I think he agrees with Ed that Labour should not promise to stick to the same spending plans as the Conservatives, but he would differ in that he thinks for the party to have the public credibility to make that argument, Labour has to do tougher things on what spending it would cut and how it would address the deficit. They are not insurmountable differences. It is largely in the speech he intended to deliver to the party if he had been accepted leader."
In his broadcast interviews on Wednesday, he openly admitted he could not see a way to being himself and being on the frontbench: "I feared being a distraction in whatever role I played. It's unusual to have two brothers in a cabinet or shadow cabinet. It's very, very, very unusual, I think unique, to have two brothers fighting a leadership election. And we're two brothers who fought a leadership election, but we don't fight each other."In his broadcast interviews on Wednesday, he openly admitted he could not see a way to being himself and being on the frontbench: "I feared being a distraction in whatever role I played. It's unusual to have two brothers in a cabinet or shadow cabinet. It's very, very, very unusual, I think unique, to have two brothers fighting a leadership election. And we're two brothers who fought a leadership election, but we don't fight each other."
He also hinted at his fear that his very presence was inhibiting the party developing a coherent policy position.He also hinted at his fear that his very presence was inhibiting the party developing a coherent policy position.
To the BBC he said, revealingly: "The country faces very big challenges; I profoundly disagree with the way the Tories and the current government are approaching those challenges and I want Labour to be able to address those issues in an uninhibited way and I think that with my departure, sadly, that can now happen."To the BBC he said, revealingly: "The country faces very big challenges; I profoundly disagree with the way the Tories and the current government are approaching those challenges and I want Labour to be able to address those issues in an uninhibited way and I think that with my departure, sadly, that can now happen."
Inevitably, Miliband was asked if he was leaving Labour politics for good like so many other modernisers such as James Purnell, Patricia Hewitt, Alan Milburn, Stephen Byers and possibly Mandelson.Inevitably, Miliband was asked if he was leaving Labour politics for good like so many other modernisers such as James Purnell, Patricia Hewitt, Alan Milburn, Stephen Byers and possibly Mandelson.
He gave no final answer. "It's a career change for me," he said. "I've not even left yet, I mean, I haven't started my new job so the idea I would start thinking now about the job after this one would be wrong … I'm taking a job in America, not taking citizenship in America, so I will continue to follow what's going on here."He gave no final answer. "It's a career change for me," he said. "I've not even left yet, I mean, I haven't started my new job so the idea I would start thinking now about the job after this one would be wrong … I'm taking a job in America, not taking citizenship in America, so I will continue to follow what's going on here."
"If only" is the common currency of politics, and many blame him for his indecisive failure to join Purnell to topple Gordon Brown, saying it proved he was a policy person, and not a politician. But he is also a party person. He knew Brown would have fought to the last to keep the premiership."If only" is the common currency of politics, and many blame him for his indecisive failure to join Purnell to topple Gordon Brown, saying it proved he was a policy person, and not a politician. But he is also a party person. He knew Brown would have fought to the last to keep the premiership.
He is trying not to look back in anger. "If you spend your life looking back, it's narcissistic," he said. "You don't get action replays in life, and I'm fundamentally an optimistic person who tries to think how do you make a contribution, make a difference in the circumstances that you find yourself in. So I'm not keeping a diary, I'm not doing my autobiography. I think this is a time to look forward."He is trying not to look back in anger. "If you spend your life looking back, it's narcissistic," he said. "You don't get action replays in life, and I'm fundamentally an optimistic person who tries to think how do you make a contribution, make a difference in the circumstances that you find yourself in. So I'm not keeping a diary, I'm not doing my autobiography. I think this is a time to look forward."
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