DAVID MILIBAND is feeling a pang of homesickness. The former foreign secretary, who moved to New York in 2013 to be head of the International Rescue Committee, is thrilled when he finds out I am speaking to him from north London. Covid restrictions have kept him away from the UK for 18 months, the longest he has been away from home, “but I don’t want to feel too sorry for myself. I have large quantities of PG Tips and I’ve found a lovely shop in New York that sells sausage rolls, Crunchies and garibaldi biscuits”. He is speaking to me from his house on the Upper West Side, sitting in front of a crammed bookshelf which displays signs of his previous life — his old parliamentary red box balances on top of it, next to a sign reading “the right hon David Miliband MP”.
He served South Shields for 12 years, rising fast and heralded as a potential future prime minister until he was beaten in the leadership election by his younger brother, underdog Ed, in 2010. When he moved to New York in 2013 with his wife Louise Shackelton and two adopted sons, some saw it as seeking refuge from a family feud. That’s all history now but at one point Ed comes up in our discussion and at the mention of the E-word, Miliband mysteriously loses his wifi connection. “The signal has totally cut out,” says Miliband with a nervous laugh. “I promise it is not because you have mentioned Ed.”
Leaving politics, Miliband swapped one huge job for another. At the IRC he oversees projects in more than 40 countries around the world and “it gives you a sense of purpose; if you run an NGO you’ve got less power than if you are in government but you have fewer obstacles to yielding it”.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"We're building a Spurs squad to compete now. This is not a project for five years time
BACK in December, in the run up to Christmas, Tottenham's technical director Johan Lange travelled to Stockholm on a special assignment. Lange's mission was to persuade Lucas Bergvall, one of the most exciting young players in Europe, to visit Spurs in the New Year.
England's breakthrough star faces biggest challenge yet
Pakistan, the Ashes and fatherhood now lie in wait for Jamie Smith
Bizarre search results, battles in court - is it game over for Google?
RICHARD GODWIN asks if time could finally be running out for the all-powerful behemoth
Finneas
He's won Grammys and Oscars, but his proudest achievement? His relationship with his sister... Billie Eilish
Has this legend of the London restaurant scene lost its cool?
Once upon a time —not so long ago, less than a decade — being a D&D restaurant meant something. Back then, Le Pont de la Tour and Coq d’ Argent were governed by swathes of the most moneyed City regulars; Sartoria offered a hangout on Savile Row as stylish as any of its neighbouring tailors; and Quaglino’s, until recently, was the place mere mortals were most likely to bump into Prince Harry or Mick Jagger.
Message to the Jews
Beware your liberal values those you see as allies are the vultures waiting for your demise
Are these the 18 ways that we could transform London?
The capital could actually be good, but we need some radical new rules
Change or die... London's eternal lesson to us all
Like the city it serves, the new Standard must build on the best of the past
The Tories are their own unique brand of special
Like Republicans, they're on a journey, but it couldn't be more different
Plane truths...the world's most loved and loathed airlines
From endless delays and frightening mishaps to delightful cabin crew, the differences between airlines can be astonishing. So which ones rule the air and which dontimpress?
