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David Miliband has made the right move – for David Miliband David Miliband has made the right move – for David Miliband
(6 months later)
David Miliband's decision to quit British politics – resigning his seat in the Commons to head the International Rescue Committee in New York – is surely the right move for him, but much more uncertain news for Labour.David Miliband's decision to quit British politics – resigning his seat in the Commons to head the International Rescue Committee in New York – is surely the right move for him, but much more uncertain news for Labour.
It's the right move for him because he had found himself caught in a soap opera – some called it a psychodrama – ever since that moment in September 2010 when a stunned Labour party conference, and a no-less-stunned Ed Miliband, discovered the younger brother had triumphed over the elder, by the narrowest of margins.It's the right move for him because he had found himself caught in a soap opera – some called it a psychodrama – ever since that moment in September 2010 when a stunned Labour party conference, and a no-less-stunned Ed Miliband, discovered the younger brother had triumphed over the elder, by the narrowest of margins.
From that day on, David's every utterance was viewed not on its own terms, but through the prism of his brother's prospects. Each speech was parsed for signs of disloyalty or leadership manoeuvres. Even when he stayed ruthlessly on message, being careful to do no more than criticise the Tories, the Westminster Kremlinologists would read it as an implied critique of the leader: this is what Ed should really be saying.From that day on, David's every utterance was viewed not on its own terms, but through the prism of his brother's prospects. Each speech was parsed for signs of disloyalty or leadership manoeuvres. Even when he stayed ruthlessly on message, being careful to do no more than criticise the Tories, the Westminster Kremlinologists would read it as an implied critique of the leader: this is what Ed should really be saying.
David understood that he was trapped. So long as he was an MP, he was constrained. Even when he took on wholly unrelated issues – most recently, the future of the oceans and overfishing – newspaper reporters would ask him about his brother.David understood that he was trapped. So long as he was an MP, he was constrained. Even when he took on wholly unrelated issues – most recently, the future of the oceans and overfishing – newspaper reporters would ask him about his brother.
Some said the solution was to return to the frontline, to take a shadow cabinet post under his brother. "That would have been even worse, soap opera plus," one confidant of the former foreign secretary told me last night. Others suggested the only job big enough would have been shadow chancellor – and there was no vacancy.Some said the solution was to return to the frontline, to take a shadow cabinet post under his brother. "That would have been even worse, soap opera plus," one confidant of the former foreign secretary told me last night. Others suggested the only job big enough would have been shadow chancellor – and there was no vacancy.
Above all, such a move would have been to demand of David a forbearance verging on the superhuman, to serve the brother who had denied him his life's ambition. Another friend suggested last night that David just couldn't do it. Understanding that he could not be in limbo forever, he knew he either had to step up – to the front bench – or step aside. Since he could not do the former, he had to do the latter.Above all, such a move would have been to demand of David a forbearance verging on the superhuman, to serve the brother who had denied him his life's ambition. Another friend suggested last night that David just couldn't do it. Understanding that he could not be in limbo forever, he knew he either had to step up – to the front bench – or step aside. Since he could not do the former, he had to do the latter.
So this is the right move for him, ending the psychodrama and taking on what is by all accounts a plum job. He will be heading a respected organisation, originally founded by Albert Einstein to help refugees from nazism, which has a serious budget with global reach and which works in the areas that interest Miliband most: not just emergency humanitarian assistance but climate change and conflict. To the sceptics who say they have never heard of it – that it sounds as if the man Alastair Campbell used to call Brains has gone off to head the outfit from Thunderbirds – comes the reply: "That's why they've hired David." The IRC wants a profile to match their heft.So this is the right move for him, ending the psychodrama and taking on what is by all accounts a plum job. He will be heading a respected organisation, originally founded by Albert Einstein to help refugees from nazism, which has a serious budget with global reach and which works in the areas that interest Miliband most: not just emergency humanitarian assistance but climate change and conflict. To the sceptics who say they have never heard of it – that it sounds as if the man Alastair Campbell used to call Brains has gone off to head the outfit from Thunderbirds – comes the reply: "That's why they've hired David." The IRC wants a profile to match their heft.
But if it makes sense for him, it's a rather more mixed picture for Labour. Ed will surely be relieved that a particularly wounding source of distraction is now removed. He will also be heartened by what is a backhanded compliment from his brother: if Ed were looking vulnerable, if there were any chance he was about to fall, David would be sticking around. By leaving, the older Miliband has given the younger a coded vote of confidence.But if it makes sense for him, it's a rather more mixed picture for Labour. Ed will surely be relieved that a particularly wounding source of distraction is now removed. He will also be heartened by what is a backhanded compliment from his brother: if Ed were looking vulnerable, if there were any chance he was about to fall, David would be sticking around. By leaving, the older Miliband has given the younger a coded vote of confidence.
Still, there are grounds for disquiet. The Tories will joke that Ed couldn't even keep his own brother on side. They will also say Ed's Labour party is clearly too far to the left if there's no room in it for David. Those complaints can be pretty easily swatted aside.Still, there are grounds for disquiet. The Tories will joke that Ed couldn't even keep his own brother on side. They will also say Ed's Labour party is clearly too far to the left if there's no room in it for David. Those complaints can be pretty easily swatted aside.
More serious is the loss of a heavyweight figure from a party that does not have many to spare. Today's shadow cabinet is not over-endowed with figures seasoned by experience of the very highest offices of state: in fact it has none.More serious is the loss of a heavyweight figure from a party that does not have many to spare. Today's shadow cabinet is not over-endowed with figures seasoned by experience of the very highest offices of state: in fact it has none.
Above all, this was a loss that should have been avoidable. Three years ago two brothers somehow failed to work out an arrangement that would have allowed them to serve alongside each other. Neither their party nor their family managed to prevent a head-to-head confrontation that meant only one could survive. That remains one of the strangest and saddest stories in recent British political history.Above all, this was a loss that should have been avoidable. Three years ago two brothers somehow failed to work out an arrangement that would have allowed them to serve alongside each other. Neither their party nor their family managed to prevent a head-to-head confrontation that meant only one could survive. That remains one of the strangest and saddest stories in recent British political history.
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