London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 03, 2025

David Miliband’s charity offers unpaid internships but he took home over £700,000

David Miliband’s charity offers unpaid internships but he took home over £700,000

Former MP who runs International Rescue Committee is criticised over adverts for full-time roles
The former Labour MP David Miliband is facing criticism after it emerged that the charity he runs, for which he was paid more than £700,000, is offering unpaid internships at its headquarters in New York City.

Miliband, the chief executive of the refugee charity International Rescue Committee (IRC), has previously been labelled “million-dollar Miliband” after his pay packet rose to $911,796 in 2019, then worth more than £700,000.

This was an increase of nearly £200,000 on the previous two years, and two-and-a-half times the amount his predecessor received.

While the full-time internships, which range from eight to 12 weeks, are based in the US, the charity receives millions in UK aid.

The intern roles, based on a 37.5-hour week, are being advertised in a variety of departments in the IRC including advocacy, executive offices and violence prevention and response, the Times first reported. Applicants are required to have at least two years of undergraduate-level education.

The adverts, which are promoted on the UN jobs website, say: “Our internships are unpaid. However, these are great opportunities to make a meaningful impact through work and start a career in non-profit.”

Campaigners calling for the end to unpaid internships argue that they shut many less advantaged young people out of top careers. In London, an unpaid internship costs young people more than £1,000 a month due to rising rents, according to Sutton Trust research.

Vicky Browning, the head of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, said: “Unpaid internships are opportunities which are largely restricted to those with enough financial backing to support them. This reinforces inequality and makes them a barrier to social mobility, so we don’t recommend charities offer them.”

Ellie Mae O’Hagan, the director of the thinktank Class (Centre for Labour & Social Studies), said the UK government should not support charities that do not pay everyone who works for them.

She said: “Most of us agree that young people should be given the best start they can in life. Organisations that refuse to pay for internships shut thousands of young people out of the opportunities they need, at a time when youth unemployment is a real problem.

“It’s time for the UK government to stop supporting charities that don’t pay people for their hard work.”

A spokesperson for IRC UK said: “IRC UK does not use unpaid interns and is a separate legal entity from the IRC’s global headquarters in the United States.”

The IRC in the US and David Miliband have also been approached for a comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
×