Why Andy Burnham should bring back David Miliband – the man already tipped to replace him by some Labour MPs

Before Labor found its ‘King in the North’ in Andy Burnham, there was David Miliband, the ‘prince across the waters’.

Since leaving Westminster more than a decade ago, speculation has been rife that the former cabinet minister, who is a personal friend of Hillary Clinton, might return to British politics.

Now, with his ally Mr Burnham set to take over as prime minister, the elder Miliband is being talked about as a potential foreign secretary.

His return to the political scene will certainly help Mr Burnham quickly find his feet as prime minister, but does it come with its own dangers? Not least the fact that some Labor MPs are already eyeing him as the man they want to take over if Mr Burnham fails to turn around Labor’s dismal poll numbers.

Why is David Miliband being considered?

For much of the Labor Party, David Miliband represents unfinished business.

Many expected him to take over the party leadership in 2010. But the surprise entry of his younger brother Ed, now energy secretary, into the race has created a soap opera that allies believe is hurting his chances.

In the years since, he has built an impressive reputation as the leader of the global aid organization the International Rescue Committee. He is seen not only as a safe couple, but also as a truly capable politician who is extremely comfortable with foreign policy.

Mr Burnham will need to make a peer with a seat in the House of Lords to bring him into cabinet, but giving him the job of foreign secretary could allow Mr Burnham to reverse talk that Sir Keir Starmer will “never be here”.

The Prime Minister was seen as successful on the international stage, even though he was increasingly unsuccessful at home. Mr. Burnham could benefit from a “big beast” that could protect foreign policy and allow him to succeed domestically.

Do some MPs see him as Burnham’s replacement?

Yes. Even before the next Prime Minister takes office, there are some MPs in his party who fear that his project will fail. And they wonder who their next leader should be.

They fear the same problems that caused Sir Keir to risk derailing Mr Burnham.

Labor has been trailing Nigel Farage’s Reform Party in the polls for more than a year. Donald Trump is still in the White House, conflicts continue in Ukraine and the Middle East, and Britain’s economic outlook is uncertain.

Others disagree with his Labor politics and disagree with him on the “soft left” wing of the party.

All this means that some MPs are already eyeing David Miliband as a potential replacement.

A member of parliament told Independent This week could see him potentially being chosen as the next Prime Minister just before the general election, as well as offering Mr Miliband his own seat in the House of Commons to make that happen.

This sequence of events mirrored, of course, the triumphant return to Westminster of former Greater Manchester mayor Mr Burnham by winning the Makerfield by-election earlier this month.

Why is there a reaction?

Given that David Miliband is a potential foreign secretary and his brother Ed has also been mentioned as a potential chancellor, this would leave the home secretary, one of the biggest posts in government, to be filled by just one woman. It seems that female MPs from the Labor Party are aggrieved by the idea that there may be more Miliband than women in senior positions in the government.

There are also concerns that the government risks being seen as full of what have already been dubbed “New Labor zombies”. In addition to the names of former cabinet minister James Purnell and David Miliband, Mr Burnham’s picks as chiefs of staff, there are reports that former children’s minister Ed Balls could also be brought back.

A senior Labor official who is not seen as an ally of Sir Keir said recently: Independent: “This will all end in tears. And then people will try to find someone else to replace Andy.”