Will the South Shields candidate be a local one? – Media and blog round-up, March 28th 2013

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Will the South Shields candidate be a local one?

“The South Shields Gazette splashed on the departure of its local MP to head International Rescue in the US, revealing that the constituencyLabour party would prefer him to be replaced by “a local candidate, rather than a prospective MP ‘parachuted’ in by head office.” John Anglin, the constituency party secretary, agreed. At lunchtime on Wednesday, he said he had received “20 or 30” phone calls from members since the news broke on Tuesday night, all saying the same thing: “This time, whoever is chosen should be somebody from the local community. That hasn’t been the case in living memory.”” – Guardian

Ed didn’t try and convince David to stay

“Labour leader Ed Miliband did not try to talk brother David out of quitting politics and leaving Britain, party insiders have revealed. The pair discussed the former Foreign Secretary’s new £280,000-a-year post at the New York-based charity International Rescue Committee several times before he accepted. Ed said yesterday that British politics would be “a poorer place” without the older brother he defeated in the battle for the party crown. He insisted he would like to see him return one day. “We went through a difficult leadership contest but time has helped to heal that. I will miss him,” he said. But the Labour leader did not try to convince his brother to stay and fight the Tories instead of moving 3,000 miles away.” – Mirror

Other highlights

• Nobody will be more pleased about David Miliband stepping down than his younger brother Ed – Andrew Grice, Independent
• Don’t bury New Labour with Miliband – Philip Collins, Times(£)
• David Miliband’s dignified exit does everyone a favour – Steve Richards, Independent
• A tale of two cities – Brian Reade, Mirror
• Will Theresa May ever deport Abu Qatada? – Times(£)