Miliband Warns Brexit Would Be 'Act Of Arson'

Leaving the EU would be an "act of arson on the international order", David Miliband will say in his first big intervention on British politics since standing down as an MP.

In a speech later on Tuesday, the former foreign secretary will say that no nation has ever been asked to voluntarily throw away so much political power.

He will say a vote to do so and leave the EU will amount to "unilateral political disarmament" that will weaken us and all "born of the delusion that the world owes us a break".

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Mr Miliband, who left politics to work for the aid organisation International Rescue Committee in the US, said leaving the EU would forfeit Britain's place at the negotiating table.

Giving up alliances would mean that Britain would be less well equipped to tackle the serious issues, such as tax avoidance, climate change and the defence of Western values.

Mr Miliband, who dismisses the idea of the Remain campaign using Project Fear tactics, will say: "My point is that this is not just bad for Britain. It is very bad for the international order, and the aspirations for that order, on which we depend."

And he will warn: "It is said that the world is increasingly divided between firefighters and arsonists. For centuries, Britain has been a firefighter.

"We have always sought to balance great powers and check the abuse of power. There is no shortage of fires that need to be put out around the world at the moment.

"This is no time for Britain to join the ranks of arsonists, and there should be no doubt that Brexit would be an act of arson on the international order."

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It comes as more than 50 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, called for the UK to vote to leave the EU to save the NHS.

In a letter they claim that the Government has “starved the NHS of necessary funding” and a vote to leave would mean more money for the health service.

Ahead of the speech, which is being seen as an attempt to beef up Labour's campaign to remain in the EU, Mr Miliband, welcomed the upcoming address on Europe by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

He said he hoped it would help reach the 50% of Labour voters who still didn't know where Labour stood on the EU.

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Mr Corbyn voted to leave the EEC in 1975 and has been criticised by some in the Labour party for failing to campaign harder for Britain to remain in the EU.

He has said he does not want to leave the EU and will make a speech on Thursday.

Employment minister Priti Patel, who is campaigning for the UK to leave the EU, said: "David Miliband talks of political disarmament but appears to have conveniently forgotten his leading role in the Blair government that relentlessly surrendered national powers to the EU, gave away billions from the British rebate, campaigned to scrap the pound and failed to retain control over our borders."