Junior ministerial offices

Minister of State for the Cabinet Office
In office 16 December 2004 – 11 May 2005
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Douglas Alexander (2003)
Succeeded by	David Laws (2012)
Minister of State for Schools
In office 24 October 2002 – 16 December 2004
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Stephen Timms
Succeeded by	Stephen Twigg

Shadow Cabinet posts

Shadow Foreign Secretary
In office 11 May 2010 – 8 October 2010
Leader	Harriet Harman (acting) Ed Miliband
Preceded by	William Hague
Succeeded by	Yvette Cooper

Further offices held

Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit
In office 2 May 1997 – 7 June 2001
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Norman Blackwell
Succeeded by	Andrew Adonis
Member of Parliament for South Shields
In office 7 June 2001 – 15 April 2013
Preceded by	David Clark
Succeeded by	Emma Lewell-Buck

Personal details

Born

David Wright Miliband

15 July 1965
London, England

Political party

Labour

Spouse

Louise Shackelton

(m. 1998)

Children

2 sons

Parents

Ralph Miliband
Marion Kozak

Relatives

Ed Miliband (brother)

Residences

Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York, U.S.

Education

Bradford Grammar School
Haverstock School

Alma mater

Awards

Kennedy Scholarship (1988)

Signature

David Wright Miliband (born 15 July 1965) is a British politician who now leads a major international charity. He was a very important member of the Labour Party and served as the Foreign Secretary for the UK from 2007 to 2010. He was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for South Shields from 2001 to 2013.

David and his brother, Ed Miliband, made history as the first brothers to be in the UK government's Cabinet at the same time since 1938. In 2010, David ran to become the leader of the Labour Party but lost to his brother, Ed. After that, he decided to leave politics.

Before becoming an MP, David Miliband worked as a policy expert. He helped Tony Blair and the Labour Party create their plans for the country. He was a key person in writing Labour's ideas for the 1997 election, which the party won.

David Miliband's Early Life and Schooling

His Family Background

David Miliband was born in London. His parents, Ralph Miliband and Marion Kozak, were immigrants from Belgium and Poland. Both of his parents came from Polish Jewish families. His mother was a teacher and a human rights supporter.

David's family experienced difficult times during the Holocaust. His mother survived thanks to help from Catholic Poles. David has said that being the child of Jewish immigrants is a very important part of who he is.

Learning and Education

David Miliband at the WEF in 2010.

David went to primary schools in London and Leeds. Later, he attended Bradford Grammar School and Haverstock Comprehensive School. He then studied at the University of Oxford, where he earned a top degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

He also earned a master's degree in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. He received a special scholarship called the Kennedy Scholarship to study there.

His Journey in Politics

Helping Tony Blair with Policy (1994–2001)

David Miliband started his career as a political analyst. In 1994, he became Tony Blair's Head of Policy for the Labour Party. He helped shape the party's plans for the 1997 general election.

After Labour won the election, Tony Blair made him the head of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit. He held this important role until the 2001 election.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In the 2001 general election, David Miliband was elected as the MP for South Shields. This area was a strong supporter of the Labour Party.

After a year as a new MP, he became the Schools Minister in the Department for Education and Skills in 2002. This was his first junior minister role.

In 2003, Miliband voted for the UK to go to war in Iraq. He later explained that he believed Iraq had dangerous weapons at that time.

In 2005, he was promoted to the Cabinet as the Minister of State for Communities and Local Government. This new role focused on housing, planning, and local government.

Environment Secretary (2006–2007)

In May 2006, David Miliband became the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In this role, he focused on making climate change a top priority for the government.

He believed that farming was important for the UK's culture and economy. He also thought that protecting animals should be balanced with controlling diseases.

Miliband was the first British Cabinet member to have a blog, where he shared his ideas. He also talked about the importance of international cooperation to tackle climate change. He wanted all nations to work together for environmental improvements.

He suggested that people could use "Carbon Credit Cards" to help reduce their personal carbon footprint. He believed that everyone needed to be involved in fighting climate change.

Foreign Secretary (2007–2010)

David Miliband with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in February 2009.

In June 2007, when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, David Miliband was appointed Foreign Secretary. At 41 years old, he was one of the youngest people to hold this important position in many years.

His younger brother, Ed Miliband, was also in the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. This was a rare event for two brothers to serve in the Cabinet at the same time.

As Foreign Secretary, Miliband dealt with many international issues. He admitted that two U.S. flights, which were part of a program called "extraordinary rendition," had stopped on a UK territory in 2002. He apologized and said the government had "made a mistake" in not knowing about this earlier.

Trip to India

After a trip to India in 2008, Miliband wrote an article suggesting that solving the dispute over Kashmir could help reduce extremism in the region. This upset the Indian government, which believes that Kashmir is an internal matter.

Sri Lanka Ceasefire

During the civil war in Sri Lanka, Miliband visited the country to ask the government to stop fighting the Tamil Tigers. He was worried about the safety of civilians caught in the conflict. Some Sri Lankan nationalists protested his visit.

Leaked documents later suggested that Miliband spent a lot of time on the Sri Lankan civil war because of the large number of Tamil people living in the UK, especially in areas where Labour MPs needed their votes.

Comments on Terrorism

In 2009, Miliband made comments about terrorism on a radio show. He said that in some situations, terrorism could be "justifiable" and "effective," but never on its own. These comments caused some debate among other politicians.

European Foreign Minister Role

The Treaty of Lisbon created a new role called the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, often called the European Foreign Minister. David Miliband was considered for this job, but he said he wanted to stay in the British Cabinet. Another British politician, Baroness Ashton, was chosen instead.

Relations with Israel

In March 2010, the UK expelled an Israeli diplomat. This was because of claims that an embassy official had forged passports related to an assassination. Miliband also warned people traveling to Israel about identity theft risks.

2010 Labour Leadership Election

After the Labour Party lost the 2010 general election, Gordon Brown stepped down as leader. David Miliband decided to run for the leadership of the party.

His brother, Ed Miliband, also ran for the leadership, along with other candidates. David Miliband received the most nominations from MPs. However, in the final vote, he narrowly lost to his brother Ed.

After the election, David Miliband announced that he would not join his brother's team in the "shadow cabinet." He said he wanted to avoid constant comparisons and distractions that could harm the party.

Leaving Politics

David Miliband left the shadow cabinet in October 2010 but continued to serve as the MP for South Shields. He also volunteered to teach politics at Haverstock School.

In March 2013, he announced that he would resign as an MP and leave politics. He decided to take on a new role as the head of the International Rescue Committee in New York.

Leading the International Rescue Committee

David Miliband became the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on 1 September 2013. The IRC is a large charity that provides humanitarian aid and development programs in many countries around the world.

He oversees the IRC's work, which includes a global staff of thousands and a large annual budget. His job is to help people affected by crises and disasters.

Syria's Civil War

The IRC has been actively helping people affected by Syria's refugee crisis. David Miliband has spoken about the need for more help in Syria, where many people have been forced to leave their homes.

He has highlighted that the IRC provides aid across borders to Syrians who are cut off from other help. He believes that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the IRC play a vital role in reaching people in dangerous areas.

Typhoon Haiyan Response

In November 2013, after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, Miliband quickly ordered the IRC to send an emergency team. He launched an appeal to raise money for the victims of the storm. The IRC helped with things like water, sanitation, and education for those affected.

In 2017, under his leadership, the IRC helped over a million children with schooling and education. They also helped thousands of refugees settle in the US and worked to reunite families separated at the US border.

Brexit Views

In May 2018, David Miliband joined other politicians in calling for a "soft Brexit." This meant he supported a way for the UK to leave the European Union that would keep closer ties with Europe.

Expense Claims

Like all Members of Parliament, David Miliband claimed expenses for his work. Reports showed he claimed for things like gardening and repairs for his home in his constituency. A spokesperson for him stated that he always followed the rules and procedures set by the parliamentary authorities.

Personal Life

David Miliband is married to Louise Shackelton, who is a professional violinist. They got married in 1998. They have two adopted sons and live in New York City.

Miliband has said that he grew up in a non-religious home and describes himself as an atheist. However, he has "huge respect" for people who have faith.

Awards and Recognitions

1988: Kennedy Scholarship
2016: Honorary Doctorate from The New School

Titles and Styles

Mr. David Wright Miliband (1965–2001)
Mr. David Wright Miliband MP (2001–2005)
The Right Honourable David Wright Miliband MP (2005–2013)
The Right Honourable David Wright Miliband (2013–present)

David Miliband facts for kids

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