At 4pm today (Friday 24th April), New York based David Miliband, confirmed that he submitted his postal ballot and was backing his brother for PM. Five years ago most of the smart money would have been on the elder of the two Miliband brothers being the one beating a path to the door of 10 Downing Street.  However in September 2010, David very narrowly lost the Labour leadership election to Ed. On 15 April  the following year Miliband resigned from Parliament to take up the posts of President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee in New York City.

Proud to have voted #Labour. #Ed4PM.

— David Miliband (@DMiliband) April 24, 2015

His preference will have surpised no-one, but his absence from the campaign as both brother of the Labour leader and a former Foreign Secretary is certainly notable.