3 weeks ago I had lunch with David Miliband, and several other Labour MPs, in Westminster, as we hosted Lord Andrew Adonis and his team, who are doing a report on the North East for the LEP. David was incisive, engaged in the difficulties of changing the North East, and open to ideas and suggestions.
His departure for the USA is a sad thing on many levels. The Labour party loses their best speaker in the House of Commons, the North East loses a spokesman, and there has to be a totally unnecessary by election in South Shields.
More importantly, by resigning mid term his decision undermines and diminishes the importance of "just being a backbench MP."
I am firm in my belief that there is no greater responsibility or higher calling than being asked to represent 65,000 people in parliament - fighting for their causes, providing proper representation and advocacy without fear or favour, and totally irrespective of what their political allegiance may be. This is not an easy job to do, whilst retaining your health, your honour, and still being the same bloke down the pub when you started this job. Every MP struggles with the impact of the job on the individual.
Yet I am really disappointed that Miliband chose to resign mid term. He could easily have indicated that he did not intend to stand again in 2 years time, but to to walk away mid term, without good reason, is wrong. Disappointment at not being Leader of the Opposition is not a good reason. To be clear, I was equally disappointed when one of my colleagues Louise Mensch did the same last year.
Not that I agree on everything David stood for - he was part of the Labour Government that bankrupted the country, made the gap between rich and poor grow, saw us rocket down literacy, science and maths leagues, and he is also a committed Europhile, and against David Cameron’s offer of a referendum on our membership of the EU in the next Parliament.
Now this weekend he has resigned from Sunderland FC over their appointment of Paolo Di Canio. As he is moving to the United States in any event you would think he should have resigned anyway - but one thing is clear: there is no place for politics in sport. Why the club would want to get rid of Martin O'Neil, one of the greatest managers in the game, is beyond me.
The Sunderland fans are certainly in for an interesting next 2 months.
