David Miliband to make UK comeback speech after new Labour leader is announced

Ed Miliband's brother is expected to talk about his views on the state's role in business

David Miliband (GETTY)

David Miliband will make his first high-profile speech in the UK speech a month after Labour’s next leader is announced, it has emerged.

The former foreign secretary, who was rejected by voters at the 2010 Labour leadership contest in favour of his brother Ed, will address the Institute for Directors annual convention on 6 October.

Mr Miliband has repeatedly rejected making a full return to British politics, most recently after the general election.

He will however address bosses at the Royal Albert Hall in an address likely to attract interest so shortly after his party’s special conference on 12 September.

Mr Miliband is likely to touch the role of the state in promoting and supporting business and enterprise– a debate some Labour figures have raised during the course of the party’s leadership contest.

The IoD website suggests that “we can expect thought-provoking insight from a man who recently said that government’s role ‘is to create the space for innovation and that means constantly being alive to the importance of reinventing government and reimagining policy.’”.

The former cabinet minister is currently the president of the aid charity International Rescue Committee, which is based in New York City.

He has kept studiously quiet about British politics during his brother’s period as Labour leader, after having stood down as an MP.

After the election result the former cabinet minister made some comments after Labour’s general election defeat, however.

Speaking to the BBC from New York he criticised his brother’s approach to the general election.

“Either we build on what Labour achieved after 1997 and we have a chance to succeed, or we abandon it and we fail,” he argued at the time.