The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

The return of David Miliband?

The former foreign secretary is contemplating a return to the shadow cabinet.

By George Eaton Published 14 June 2011 10:45

Another day, another twist in the saga of the Miliband brothers. Today's Independent reports that David Miliband is contemplating a surprise return to the Labour frontbench. A friend of the elder Miliband tells Andrew Grice: "There is a debate going on. Some people are arguing that it would be better to be a team player than look as though he is sulking on the sidelines".

Regardless of whether Miliband should return to the shadow cabinet, it's worth asking the question: could he? The next shadow cabinet elections aren't until October 2012 and since Labour's frontbench is elected, rather than appointed, Ed Miliband can't remove anyone to make way for David. But he could use one of his five discretionary appointments to bring his brother in (Peter Hain and Shaun Woodward were both appointed after the last election).

With this logistical hurdle overcome, it's worth noting the reasons why Miliband's return would benefit both Labour and his brother. For a start, it would persuade a significant section of the party, not least the 104 MPs who voted for David, to lend their full support to Ed. So long as their lost leader remains outside the shadow cabinet, some will be reluctant to do so. Miliband would also raise the calibre of a frontbench short of big beasts. His recent interventions - on the NHS, on multiculturalism and on the crisis of the European centre-left - have been thoughtful and persuasive.

The differences between the brothers are largely ones of emphasis, not principle. At the weekend, Michael Meacher bizarrely claimed that Miliband would have adopted "the Osborne cut-and-slash strategy in full ... perhaps going even further." Yet both brothers remain committed to Alistair Darling's plan to halve the deficit by 2014 (although Ed has adopted a 60:40 ratio of spending cuts to tax rises, rather than the original 70:30 split). David's correct assertion that Labour should have founded the Office for Budget Responsibility does nothing to change this.

The odds may be against a comeback but it's not hard to see why figures on both sides are giving it serious consideration.

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Tags: Ed Miliband David Miliband

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11 comments

Tue, 2011-06-14 12:12 — Sam (not verified)

If he came back it would most likely only be for his own agenda. Obviously he wants Ed to go so he will only come back if he thinks his coming back will have no impact on the electorate.

If I was Ed I wouldn't bring him back now. The media would be more focused on David and he would look like the leader of the party which would make Ed look even weaker.

Tue, 2011-06-14 12:25 — Lou (not verified)

The 104 MPs who are throwing their toys because Ed not David got elected would do well to to remember they are all here to serve the electorate and not themselves and if all MPs started remembering that then they all might be better politicians and better representatives of the people.

The public doesn't really care whether Dave M is in the shadow cabinet or not, they care about the shadow cabinet and the party being an effective opposition and right now, they are not.

Politics should dictate the media headlines, not the media headlines dictate the politics and I for one am sick of it being the latter.

Tue, 2011-06-14 12:37 — J Hill (not verified)

The current Labour Party is incapable of being a decent opposition because they have no credibility left on the economy. On social policy they are pretty much in agreement with the Coalition if they're honest. Tuition fees were introduced by Labour and the Lord Brown review (set up by them) resulted in the huge increase, and they can hardly contest this much either. The direction that Lansley is taking the NHS was begun under Labour and even if Labour had won the 2010 election they had already planned for big cuts in the service (this is known, but not much publicised). So what's left? Not much. Britain probably needs a total realignment and rejigging of its political parties. At this moment I can see no reason whatsoever to vote Labour. Forget opinion polls, I think Ed Miliband will be slaughtered by Cameron and lose more Labour seats in 2015.

Tue, 2011-06-14 12:41 — George Bunbury (not verified)

The Labour front bench needs all talent it can find and EM would look stronger if he brought his brother into the fold. If the focus (for now) remains on the internal wars then Labour will have shown that it has learnt nothing from the Tories circa 1995-2007 and even less form the Blair/Brown years.

The country doesn't need Labour being pre-occupied with its own self - it needs good, coherent, robust and challenging opposition.

Tue, 2011-06-14 13:24 — yuccaplant (not verified)

Its becoming ever more clear that Ed Miliband is utterly out of his depth,he will never lead Labour to a general election win so it would if nothing else make sense to maximize the damage that's almost certainly going to happen and bring back his brother to perhaps stem the damage.

I keep reading oh dont worry Ed will be fine,he's learning the job,give him time but the trouble is he just doesn't have the time the public is making it's mind up and Ed just doesnt have that something,that Cameron has and Blair before him,had/have,it's sad but thats the way things are.

Tue, 2011-06-14 14:06 — Frederick James (not verified)

ang - But what if it turns out that (as I suspect is the case) loyalty and support for his brother has been, and still is, a very big issue indeed? If David returns to the front bench this would be cruelly exposed on a daily basis.

Tue, 2011-06-14 13:32 — ang (not verified)

Agree with George.
The media are obsessed with their 'falling out' anyway.
I think it would be a fantastic move for both Milibands, if David were to return to the front bench.
It would show the media that loyalty and support for his brother has never been an issue.
If they are united as brothers, it will stengthen the party. David is a big beast, he has real presence and immense talent. Labour needs him.

Tue, 2011-06-14 14:47 — George Bunbury (not verified)

Fredrick - maybe having allowed himself some time to lick his wounds DM will appreciate that nothing will cast in a better light than being studiously loyal and supportive of EM? It may be niave of me to hope that of all people two brothers could help unite a fractured party but there you have it!

Tue, 2011-06-14 15:03 — ang (not verified)

Frederick.
The press have already been cruel to the Milibands and will continue to be, regardless.
Returning to the front bench will be an amazing show of unity and I think David Milibands' looks and presence will make the party more attractive for voters. Shallow, but true.
Oh and yes, it will really piss the Tories off!

Tue, 2011-06-14 15:30 — Geraint (not verified)

@yucclaplant. David Cameron failed to win an outright majority, he has nothing.

Ed is doing a good job, he understand why we lost the 2010 election as badly as we have. People want miracles, but they are not going to happen. It has only been little over a year since we had a terrible election defeat, and under a year since Ed became leader.

We were never going to have a 10pt lead and have people crying out for a return to Labour within 13 months of them kicking us out. We need to reconnect with the electorate and rebuild the progressive coalition that got us into govt in 1997. David M would never be able to do that.

Tue, 2011-06-14 18:33 — Nathaniel Myers (not verified)

Although I remain in total support of David, whilst holding his younger brother in the utmost contempt, I find it difficult to see how this could be a good thing. As David correctly pointed out when he retreated to the back benches, after the Labour leadership farce, having the two brothers in the shadow cabinet would be a disaster. Whether or not the reality was one similar to the Blair/Brown feud, it would undoubtedly be talked up as one by the media. It would also be awkward for Ed, having an intellectual superior as his shadow chancellor, and having his intellectually superior brother taking the fight to the government fifty times as well, as the leader of the opposition is.