Is Ed Miliband going to rule out a return to frontline politics?

Ed Miliband could publicly rule out a return to frontline politics next week, according to this morning’s Times. The move would mean ruling himself out of a Shadow Cabinet position under Labour’s new leader.

The paper reports that Miliband wants a break after spending five years as Leader of the Opposition. It is common for Labour leaders to step back from the frontbenches after leaving the role, with most never returning to a prominent role in the Commons.

However, Miliband’s relative youth (he is 45) led to speculation that he could return to the Shadow Cabinet sooner rather than later, and Jeremy Corbyn has openly said that he would be happy to offer the former leader a role such as Shadow Environment Secretary – an office Miliband held in Government.

Sources have contested The Times’ story in the Daily Mirror, saying that stories about Miliband’s future plans are “all speculation”, suggesting that Miliband himself has yet to make a decision about his future.