David Miliband in Canterbury PICTURE: Chang Sean Der

Former foreign secretary goes head-to-head with students

Former foreign secretary David Miliband made a special trip to Canterbury - visiting both the city centre and then addressing students at the University of Kent.

The Labour politician - beaten by brother Ed in the party leadership battle - took part in a 75 minute Q&A with students after meeting voters on the streets of the city during the day.

Introduced by Professor Richard Sakwa, head of the university’s school of politics and international relations, the MP identified factors such as the global shift in power from West to East, the increasing scarcity of natural resources worldwide and the Greek debt crisis in his opening address.

Questions from both students and staff in the audience included those on university participation rates and tuition fees, Islam and democracy and the record of the last Labour government.

Professor Sakwa said: ‘We were delighted to host the first of David Miliband’s visits around the UK to meet students.

“This was great opportunity for our students to question one of the leading figures in the last Labour administration. As a foreign secretary, David Miliband was dealing with many of the issues that our politics and international relations students are learning about in their studies.

“As well as his knowledge on international and domestic affairs, the way he dealt with the inevitable question about his defeat to his brother in the party leadership contest was a lesson in itself in how to be a politician.”