David Miliband triggers comeback speculation after joining election trail

The former foreign secretary has been promoting Labour candidates, including rising star Hamish Falconer

David Miliband on the campaign trail in Aylesbury, central England. Photo: Labour Party

Former UK foreign secretary David Miliband has sparked speculation that he intends making a political comeback, after appearing on the general election campaign trail supporting Labour candidates.

He has not put himself forward to stand in the general election on July 4 but his appearance in a number of borderline constituencies has triggered suggestions he could be paving the way for a return and a future role in Sir Keir Starmer's government, should Labour win.

After defeat to his brother, Ed, for the Labour leadership, Mr Miliband stepped back from frontline politics in 2013, taking up the role of president and chief executive of the International Rescue Committee. However, he has remained vocal from the sidelines.

In Lincoln, in eastern England, he appeared in a video promoting candidate Hamish Falconer. Mr Miliband described the seat, which is presently held by the Conservatives, who won it by a small majority of 3,514 in 2019, as “absolutely critical” in the election battle.

He has also been pictured in other parts of the UK, appearing in constituencies presently held by the Conservatives in Corbridge, in Northumberland, north-east England, the central town of Aylesbury and Buckingham, in southern England.

Despite leaving politics a decade ago he has never ruled out a comeback, and in 2022 told LBC radio station that the matter of whether he might stand as a Labour politician again had “not been decided yet”.

Mr Miliband moved to New York after leaving politics after his failure to win leadership of the Labour Party, following the resignation of Gordon Brown in 2010.

He started his political career as a senior policy adviser to Sir Tony Blair in the 1990s and was elected as MP for South Shields in north-east England in 2001 – a position he held for 12 years – and served as foreign secretary from 2007 to 2010,under prime ministers Mr Blair and Mr Brown.

The UK looks set for a Labour-led government, with one poll released last week putting Keir Starmer's party on 37 per cent; Reform UK at 19 per cent, just ahead of the Conservatives at 18 per cent; the Liberal Democrats at 14 per cent; the Greens at 7 per cent; the SNP at 3 per cent; Plaid Cymru at 1 per cent; and others at 2 per cent.

The deadline for British citizens living overseas who want to vote in next month's general election must register by Tuesday, June 18, to cast their ballot.