In 2007 when he was UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband delivered an address to the Labour Party conference. He described a world with “fewer countries at war” and “more democracies than ever before.”

Two decades later, with that vision further from view, Miliband is head of the New York-based International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest aid agencies. Its “Emergency Watchlist” cites 20 urgent crises, from Haiti to Sudan and the Middle East to Myanmar. The group finds itself increasingly constrained by widening conflict and shrinking government aid.

The IRC role, however, gave Miliband new purpose after his bid to lead Labour ended in dramatic and personal fashion when in 2010 he lost to his own brother. Now he sees his old friends and rivals back in power, forced to make decisions he finds painful. 

In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Miliband discusses the current state of politics in the UK, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership. He talks about Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” and his old boss, former Prime Minister Tony Blair. They also discuss Miliband’s family heritage. 

00:00 - Introducing David Miliband
02:30 - His refugee parents and link to work at IRC
08:09 - Growing up, democracy “seemed like the norm”
08:59 - 2007 speech at Labour Party Conference
10:54 - Mark Carney’s 2026 speech at Davos
12:49 - “America will no longer be Atlas”
13:49 - “More autocracies than democracies in the world today”
14:26 - “A revolution in America’s role in the world”
15:42 - IRC work on the US-Mexico border
17:55 - IRC’s 2026 Emergency Watchlist: Sudan and the Occupied Palestinian Territory
18:36 - “Remediation of desperate suffering is our business”
19:06 - “If you talk to the people you have hope.”
23:31 - Jared Kushner’s plans for Gaza
26:21 - Tony Blair and the Board of Peace
32:12 - Cuts to foreign aid
34:55 - “Challenging period” for UK Labour, Starmer
36:06 - Threats from Reform and Andy Burnham
39:07 - What next for Miliband?
40:28 - Relationship with Hilary Clinton

Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS

You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview

Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net

Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Illustration: Uli Knörzer for Bloomberg; Source Photo: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

In 2007 when he was UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband delivered an address to the Labour Party conference. He described a world with &ldquo;fewer countries at war&rdquo; and &ldquo;more democracies than ever before.&rdquo; Two decades later, with that vision further from view, Miliband is head of the New York-based International Rescue Committee, one of the world&rsquo;s largest aid agencies. Its &ldquo;Emergency Watchlist&rdquo; cites 20 urgent crises, from Haiti to Sudan and the Middle East to Myanmar. The group finds itself increasingly constrained by widening conflict and shrinking government aid. The IRC role, however, gave Miliband new purpose after his bid to lead Labour ended in dramatic and personal fashion when in 2010 he lost to his own brother. Now he sees his old friends and rivals back in power, forced to make decisions he finds painful. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Miliband discusses the current state of politics in the UK, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer&rsquo;s leadership. He talks about Donald Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;Board of Peace&rdquo; and his old boss, former Prime Minister Tony Blair. They also discuss Miliband&rsquo;s family heritage.&nbsp;
00:00 - Introducing David Miliband 02:30 - His refugee parents and link to work at IRC 08:09 - Growing up, democracy &ldquo;seemed like the norm&rdquo; 08:59 - 2007 speech at Labour Party Conference 10:54 - Mark Carney&rsquo;s 2026 speech at Davos 12:49 - &ldquo;America will no longer be Atlas&rdquo; 13:49 - &ldquo;More autocracies than democracies in the world today&rdquo; 14:26 - &ldquo;A revolution in America&rsquo;s role in the world&rdquo; 15:42 - IRC work on the US-Mexico border 17:55 - IRC&rsquo;s 2026 Emergency Watchlist: Sudan and the Occupied Palestinian Territory 18:36 - &ldquo;Remediation of desperate suffering is our business&rdquo; 19:06 - &ldquo;If you talk to the people you have hope.&rdquo; 23:31 - Jared Kushner&rsquo;s plans for Gaza 26:21 - Tony Blair and the Board of Peace 32:12 - Cuts to foreign aid 34:55 - &ldquo;Challenging period&rdquo; for UK Labour, Starmer 36:06 - Threats from Reform and Andy Burnham 39:07 - What next for Miliband? 40:28 - Relationship with Hilary Clinton
Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS
You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal&rsquo;s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview
Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net
Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Illustration: Uli Kn&ouml;rzer for Bloomberg; Source Photo: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

Make sense of the world with one essential conversation, every week. Mishal Husain, one of Britain's best interviewers, brings her signature blend of curiosity and tenacity to weekly conversations with world leaders, business titans, and cultural icons, revealing who they really are and how they see the world changing around them.

Subscribe today at Bloomberg.com/audio or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. For annotated transcripts of Mishal's conversations head to Bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview

Make sense of the world with one essential conversation, every week. Mishal Husain, one of Britain's best interviewers, brings her signature blend of curiosity and tenacity to weekly conversations with world leaders, business titans, and cultural icons, revealing who they really are and how they see the world changing around them.
Subscribe today at Bloomberg.com/audio or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. For annotated transcripts of Mishal's conversations head to Bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview

The Mishal Husain Show

David Miliband on Global Disorder, Labour’s ‘Mistakes’ and Deploying $1 Billion on Crises

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b51f2091-961d-4960-bde4-b3e801185569/transcript