New Sunderland manager has been a controversial appointment

After the mixed reaction to David Cameron’s immigration speech this week, the Prime Minister might be pleased to know that a prominent French politician has heaped praise on it. “The speech by the British Prime Minister has smashed the taboo surrounding the unsustainable cost of immigration for European nations. At a time of mounting unemployment and widening deficits, it has become urgent to start giving priority to our own nationals in jobs, housing, social benefits and health,” he said.

To become Prime Minister, it's not even good enough to say and do the right things. As Tony Blair proved, you have to brim with energy and determination

There are growing concerns surrounding the suitability of Sunderland's new sponsor, Invest in Africa, amid claims from the oil watchdog Platform that the initiative's founding partner, Tullow Oil, is responsible for damaging business practices.

Tullow spokesman says Invest in Africa 'not a front' as NGOs question club's new partnership

Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour Party, grew up in a family of left-wing intellectuals. 

The shadow Health Secretary is furious at the coalition's plans for NHS reform, but reckons this is the one issue that could trigger David Cameron's downfall. Matt Chorley meets Andy Burnham

David Miliband has rejected calls for him to boost Labour's prospects by returning to frontline politics, saying he wanted to avoid a "daily soap opera".

Let's hope, for his sake, that the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is of an equable disposition, because in his place I would be hiring a posse of recidivist gang-members and sending them out on to the placid streets of Primrose Hill with a warning to big brother to "put up or shut up". Miliband D, as he came to be known during the long drawn-out contest for Labour leader, has been turning up recently in all sorts of places – not just the ones he is now being paid rather tidy sums to visit – and contributing, as he might see it, to the national conversation.

David Miliband has called on Labour to admit "loud and clear" what it got wrong while it was in power and urged the party to embrace radical public- service reform.

Labour needs “restless rethinking” of its purpose and its policies if it is to return to power, former leadership candidate David Miliband said today.

Six months remain before London hosts the 30th Olympiad. By Tom Peck

With just six months left until the opening ceremony, London 2012 has suddenly started to seem alarmingly close.

What halcyon days, on and off the pitch, for Sunderland FC. Mackem fans will be so thrilled by the team's revival that they will forgive David Miliband for dividing his time even further. Reportedly paid £50,000 to be the club's vice-president, he already moonlights as an MP, of course. He is also reported to trouser £92k as a consultant to a Californian energy firm, and more from speechifying in the Middle East.