David Miliband said he is optimistic about the prospect of Andy Burnham becoming the next prime minister, a public signal that has renewed speculation about whether the former foreign secretary could re-enter front-line politics. Speaking at a think tank event in London on Friday, Miliband praised Burnham’s openness and energy and called the expected appointment of James Purnell as Downing Street chief of staff “fantastic”.
London think tank event
Miliband also said that he, Burnham and James Purnell came into the House of Commons at the same time in 2001, and said Burnham has a “remarkable ability to listen, to connect, to process data and ideas and information.” He added that he still held two leadership posts at the International Rescue Committee after leaving Parliament in 2013.
The former foreign secretary was asked by the whether he was interested in joining Burnham’s government if Burnham entered Downing Street. Miliband replied with a reference to the IRC’s publications, saying they offered “an evidence-based and innovative and cost-effective way of serving the most vulnerable and poverty-stricken parts of the world. So there you go.”
House of Commons route
Miliband said a prime minister’s cabinet is usually made up of MPs from the House of Commons, but said that in theory he could join it if he were given a peerage in the House of Lords. That leaves the route back into government as a constitutional one, not an automatic return: Burnham would need to be in Downing Street, and Miliband would need the House of Lords step before any cabinet role could follow.
He also repeated his criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s decision last year to cut UK development assistance from 0.5% to 0.3% of national income, while saying it was “really welcome” that the UK was put in a leadership position on fragile and conflict-affected fragile states. The comments place Miliband’s international-policy record back into the party debate just as Burnham’s wider profile rises.
Andy Burnham and James Purnell
Burnham is due to give a speech about the economy and devolution on Monday. Until then, Miliband’s remarks leave one immediate political question hanging in plain sight: if Burnham moves closer to Downing Street, would Miliband accept the call and take a place in the government?
