ED Miliband will become the first Labour leader in more than 20 years to attend the historic Durham Miners’ Gala when he speaks there later this year.

The opposition leader will be attending when it takes place on July 9, in stark contrast to his two predecessors.

Shunned by both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the Durham Miners’ Gala will welcome Mr Miliband as the Labour leadership has changed its mind about whether to be associated with the longstanding event.

Tony Blair did not attend once during his 13 years in office, preferring instead to go to other events that were happening on the same weekend. This was despite being an MP for a Durham mining seat, and having regularly attended the gala before he became Labour leader.

He also once described the gala as the “salt of the earth of the Labour movement”.

Similarly, Gordon Brown never attended either. It is thought that, as the advocates of New Labour, they did not want to be associated with something so deeply rooted in the Old Labour traditions.

The last Labour Party leader to address the gala was Neil Kinnock in 1989.

Up until him, every Labour Party leader had attended and it was seen as being very important to speak there, even when Prime Minister.

The Durham miners were once a major force and could influence Labour politics.

Last year at the gala, families and couples lined the narrow cobbled streets in the city centre to watch former mining communities carry their banners and parade behind brass bands.

Activities including fairground rides, face painting, stalls and speeches provided a carnival atmosphere for the occasion. Around 70 trade union banners – 42 of them from the former Durham Coalfield – were marched through the city centre from 8am. They were accompanied by more than 40 brass bands and a blessing ceremony took place at the cathedral.