While his little brother is away on his honeymoon, part time MP David Miliband has taken some time off from serving his constituents to top up the £190,000 he has earned this year alone. Speaking at the Hay Literary Festival, you can see why Labour’s “King Over the Water” chose to dodge his brother’s wedding party:

“If you look at the  Parliamentary Tory party and the Lib Dems, they have got some strengths over us. They have got more doctors in Parliament than we have. They have more military officers. The Tories are trying to open up. We have to make sure we look like the  country we represent, not just our supporters.” 

Very on message. Though he has a better view from the back rather than the front…

“We should be for the Big Society. Why should we allow a piece of political positioning to rob us of an important part of our political identity? I never understood that in the last government Gordon Brown’s instinct was to fight Big Society. They are reoccupying ground we previously held.”

David’s Movement For Change is signed up to the BS as well as providing an alternative loyal foot-soldier following…

“I didn’t want to play into a soap opera, but I want to help in any way I can, Labour need support in order to break the mould of Labour lapsing into long-term opposition.”

Comments like that are particularly helpful…