David Miliband News

David Miliband, who triggered the South Shields contest when he decided to quit as an MP, congratulated Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck, who won the seat with a reduced majority of 6,505.

Congrats @emmalewellbuck and Labour team in #southshields. Holding 50% of vote very good result.

From @DMiliband on Twitter: ( 8:38 am, Fri 03 May 2013)

• Politics
• David Miliband
• UKIP

TV comic Lee Nelson intends to stand for Parliament in the by-election for David Miliband's former seat of South Shields.

The character, created by funnyman Simon Brodkin and who has his own BBC3 series, intends to contest the election on 2nd May after handing in his nomination papers this morning.

Earlier this month Brodkin escaped prosecution following his arrest in March for sneaking on to the pitch and training with the Manchester City team prior to a Premier League match.

Read more: Officer restrains 'Lee Nelson' as PR stunt goes wrong

Nelson, standing for Lee Nelson's Well Good Party read out a speech on the steps of the Town Hall in South Shields, delivering a "17-point manifesto for a Well Great Britain" with a series of eye-opening policies, including issuing each child with lottery scratch cards at birth.

He added: "David Cameron, George Osborne, Boris Johnson - I wasn't educated at Eton or Oxford. In fact, I wasn't educated at all. It's time to give the posh the push. And let Lee be your leader for a well great Britain."

Find out more about the South Shields by-election and the candidates standing on the ITV Tyne Tees website.

• Entertainment
• David Miliband
• South Shields

The by-election triggered by former foreign secretary David Miliband's departure from the Commons is set to be held on May 2.

• David Miliband swaps Westminster for US charity

Labour sources said Mr Miliband would formally vacate the South Shields seat on Monday, and the writ would then be moved for the contest.

• The 'nearly man' of British politics steps off stage

Emma Lewell-Buck was selected as the party's candidate for the safe seat earlier this week.

• Politics
• David Miliband
• South Shields

Paolo Di Canio again refused to publicly explain his political views after suffering defeat on his debut as Sunderland manager, but insisted "as a person you don't change".

He could not prevent Sunderland's winless run extending to nine games as Chelsea won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge and declined to comment directly on his views in the post-match media conference.

As a person you don't change, but you become an adult, you become a manager. You can also handle your nature because you know now you're not a footballer, now you have responsibility for many others.

Obviously your nature never changes, but you can lead, you can guide because you know that you have to be careful sometimes when you do something. I don't think you are the same person than 20 years ago, 10 years ago.

We all change. We maintain the principles of when we were growing up, but we change a bit as a man, now as a manager.

• Sport
• Sunderland
• David Miliband

Durham Miners tell me they are a "lot happier now the club have stopped dithering" over the Paolo Di Canio fascism issue and said someone from Sunderland will visit them tomorrow.

They said their banner, which they had demanded to be removed from the Stadium of Light, can stay put.

The club's links to the coal pits goes back to 1936 when the local miners' association sent men to fight against fascists in the Spanish civil war.

Read: Paolo Di Canio - when sport and politics collide.

Read: Paolo Di Canio says he does 'not support the ideology of fascism'.

• Sport
• Sunderland
• David Miliband

Sunderland's new manager Paolo Di Canio is believed to have attended the funeral of an Italian fascist linked to a terrorist bombing that killed 85 people.

Pictures appear to show the Italian paying his respects three years ago to Paolo Signorelli, who was jailed for eight years after the Bologna train station attack in 1980.

Signorelli was later acquitted on appeal due to insufficient evidence but was found guilty of being part of an "armed band" and a "subversion against democracy", The Sun reports.

He had been a member of the Italian Socialist Movement which emerged after the collapse of Benito Mussolini's Fascist party.

Di Canio released a statement today saying he is "not a racist" and does "not support the fascist ideology."

Read: Paolo Di Canio - when sport and politics collide

Watch: Di Canio dodges ITV News' question on fascist beliefs

• Sport
• Sunderland
• David Miliband

Sunderland's new manager Paolo Di Canio has taken his first training session at the club since his appointment on Wednesday.

The session happened before the Italian released a statement saying he was "not a racist" and did "not support the ideology of fascism."

Read: Paolo Di Canio - when sport and politics collide.

Watch: Di Canio dodges ITV News' question on fascist beliefs.

• Sport
• Sunderland
• David Miliband

Sunderland's new manager Paolo Di Canio has released a statement on the club's official website where he says "I am not a racist and I do not support the ideology of fascism."

I have clearly stated that I do not wish to speak about matters other than football, however, I have been deeply hurt by the attacks on the football club.

This is a historic, proud and ethical club and to read and hear some of the vicious and personal accusations is painful. I am an honest man, my values and principles come from my family and my upbringing.

I feel that I should not have to continually justify myself to people who do not understand this, however I will say one thing only - I am not the man that some people like to portray.

I am not political, I do not affiliate myself to any organisation, I am not a racist and I do not support the ideology of fascism. I respect everyone.

I am a football man and this and my family are my focus. Now I will speak only of football.

• Sport
• Sunderland
• David Miliband