Former UK Labour leader Miliband returns to frontline as party's business spokesman

LONDON (Reuters) - The former leader of Britain's opposition Labour, Ed Miliband, returned to frontline politics on Monday after being appointed the party's business, energy and industrial spokesman by new leader Keir Starmer.

Starmer was elected leader on Saturday, pledging to bring an end to years of bitter infighting and to work with the government to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Labour leader for nearly 5 years, Miliband resigned after his party suffered a heavy election defeat in May 2015 but has remained a member of parliament since, often speaking in debates on energy and climate change. He served as government minister for energy and climate change from October 2008 to May 2010.

"We must all focus on playing our part in the country's response to coronavirus, working with the government to help the many businesses and workers who have been so badly hit and need their voice heard," Miliband said in a statement on Twitter, adding he was looking forward to working with Starmer.

"We cannot go back to business as usual after this crisis. We will need to reshape our economy, addressing the insecurity many millions of workers face. We must also return to climate change as the unavoidable long-term issue of our time."

A sometimes awkward figure, Miliband was often ridiculed as a geek by sections of the press during his time as Labour leader, and presented as a liability to his party by his Conservative opponent David Cameron.

Miliband was the surprise winner in Labour's 2010 leadership election, beating his older and better-known brother David thanks to support from trade unions that earned him the nickname "Red Ed".

Starmer also gave his two leadership rivals positions in his team, appointing Rebecca Long-Bailey as education spokeswoman and Lisa Nandy as spokeswoman on foreign affairs.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)