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| David Miliband says he has no plan for return to British politics | David Miliband says he has no plan for return to British politics |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Miliband, the Labour former foreign secretary, has said he does not have a plan for a return to British politics. | David Miliband, the Labour former foreign secretary, has said he does not have a plan for a return to British politics. |
| In an interview to mark his departure to New York, where he is taking up a post as head of the International Rescue Committee, Miliband said he would "definitely" return to the UK at some point but did not have a timetable for an eventual return to the political frontline. | In an interview to mark his departure to New York, where he is taking up a post as head of the International Rescue Committee, Miliband said he would "definitely" return to the UK at some point but did not have a timetable for an eventual return to the political frontline. |
| "In terms of what I do afterwards, look, if you over-calculate, you miscalculate. And I'm not going to over-calculate," Miliband told Andrew Marr, who was conducting his first interview on his Sunday breakfast show since he suffered a serious stroke in January. | "In terms of what I do afterwards, look, if you over-calculate, you miscalculate. And I'm not going to over-calculate," Miliband told Andrew Marr, who was conducting his first interview on his Sunday breakfast show since he suffered a serious stroke in January. |
| Miliband, who was unexpectedly beaten by his brother Ed in the Labour leadership contest in 2010, also backed his brother's proposals to change Labour's relationship with the unions and warned that it was possible for the Conservatives to win an outright majority in 2015. | |
| Asked if his relationship with his brother was "healing" following the rift caused by the leadership election, Miliband replied: "Of course." But there was still tension, he suggested. | Asked if his relationship with his brother was "healing" following the rift caused by the leadership election, Miliband replied: "Of course." But there was still tension, he suggested. |
| "The truth is that these things, you can never erase them from memory or history," he said. "But Ed and I are brothers for life. That is something that you value and that you nurture whatever the difficulty of the circumstances." | "The truth is that these things, you can never erase them from memory or history," he said. "But Ed and I are brothers for life. That is something that you value and that you nurture whatever the difficulty of the circumstances." |
| Comparing the brothers to the Wimbledon finalists Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, Miliband went on: "The important thing though is that you have got to never lead your lives by looking in the rear view mirror. You can't afford to end up eating yourself up with that kind of struggle. | Comparing the brothers to the Wimbledon finalists Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, Miliband went on: "The important thing though is that you have got to never lead your lives by looking in the rear view mirror. You can't afford to end up eating yourself up with that kind of struggle. |
| "You have got to try and say there are the Murrays of this world who win and there are the Djokovics who come second. You've got to be gracious when you don't win." | "You have got to try and say there are the Murrays of this world who win and there are the Djokovics who come second. You've got to be gracious when you don't win." |
| Asked about his brother's decision to propose changing the way trade unions fund the Labour party by insisting that the party only take money from individual union members who have actively decided to donate, Miliband said this was a good move. "Labour's in a stronger position this week than it was last week," he said. | Asked about his brother's decision to propose changing the way trade unions fund the Labour party by insisting that the party only take money from individual union members who have actively decided to donate, Miliband said this was a good move. "Labour's in a stronger position this week than it was last week," he said. |
| There was an inevitability about reform, he said. "Around the world the old structures of political parties are dying, and they have to renew themselves by opening up. The bolder they are, the more open they are, the more successful they are going to be." | There was an inevitability about reform, he said. "Around the world the old structures of political parties are dying, and they have to renew themselves by opening up. The bolder they are, the more open they are, the more successful they are going to be." |
| Asked about the likely outcome of the next election, Miliband said he did not accept the "conventional wisdom" that another hung parliament was likely. | Asked about the likely outcome of the next election, Miliband said he did not accept the "conventional wisdom" that another hung parliament was likely. |
| "I think the British people will take a view, and I think that is a great prize for Labour. The danger is it could be a great prize for the Conservatives as well. | "I think the British people will take a view, and I think that is a great prize for Labour. The danger is it could be a great prize for the Conservatives as well. |
| "I would say it's all to play for. It's open. I don't think anyone from either side should be banking on it being a coalition." | "I would say it's all to play for. It's open. I don't think anyone from either side should be banking on it being a coalition." |
| Marr looked and sounded well during the interview, although his left arm, which along with his left leg has been particularly badly affected by the stroke, stayed resting in his lap throughout. Marr's interview with Miliband was the main feature of the programme, but it was pre-recorded and Marr himself did not present the sections of the programme broadcast live. | |
| Miliband said he was delighted to see Marr back. "I know you have been to hell and back and although viewers will be pleased to see me maybe, they will be more pleased to see you," he told Marr. | Miliband said he was delighted to see Marr back. "I know you have been to hell and back and although viewers will be pleased to see me maybe, they will be more pleased to see you," he told Marr. |