Cabinet office minister David Miliband was last night heading into a political storm after refusing to reveal details of why he and his wife have chosen to adopt a child in America.

The South Shields MP, 39, and his wife Louise travelled to America to be at the birth of their adopted son, Isaac James, on December 13.

The 7lb healthy baby boy was taken from his natural mother and handed to the couple, who flew back to their London home on Christmas Eve.

Mr Miliband refused to be drawn on the circumstances of the adoption, or explain why he had gone to the US rather than adopt in the UK - saying the issue was "private".

Last night, TV agony aunt and Journal columnist Denise Robertson attacked the decision to adopt abroad, describing the way the MP had handled it as "inept".

And adoption agencies confirmed that the process of adopting a child from America would be considerably easier for the Milibands as Louise has an American passport. Mr Miliband, recently promoted to Minister for the Cabinet Office following a stint as Schools Minister, is a close ally of Tony Blair and has been tipped as a future leader of the Labour Party.

He is said to be delighted after the birth but repeatedly refused to comment on why he chose to go to America, saying: "I can understand that the media will have questions but we see this as a private thing between us.

"I believe, however, that the people of South Shields have a right to know what has happened. We look forward to introducing Isaac to the North-East early in the New Year."

John Brotherton from the Cabinet Office said: "I don't know the details of why Mr Miliband chose America and David is not giving any interviews."

Mr Miliband's constituency agent Scott Duffy added: "They have adopted a child in the US - but I cannot comment on why they chose the US."

Denise Robertson, also a constituent of Miliband, said she was "gob-smacked" by the secretive way Mr Miliband had dealt with the issue.

She said: "I just cannot see why he would do that - he is of an age where he could easily adopt a child here.

"Why has he attracted all of this attention when he doesn't need it? It's a mystery. He must be aware of how this would look and there is no reason for it.

"If he was 50 I could well understand why he would choose to go abroad - and I would have sympathy - but at his age bringing a child from America will only bring trouble on his head."

Ms Robertson told how she had received many letters from couples desperate to adopt in Britain, but were deemed too old by adoption agencies.

She added: "If he had adopted in this country there wouldn't have been a flutter of interest - he is going about this in a totally inept fashion."

The couple, who met on an aeroplane in 1995 during a flight to Rome, were married in 1998 and split their time between their homes in South Shields and London.

Louise grew up in the States, went to university there and spent much of her early career in the country.

She is an accomplished cellist and is a director of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Mr Miliband, who was elected South Shields MP in June 2001, was educated at Haverstock Comprehensive in London, Oxford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He has been tipped as a future leader of the Labour Party.

South Tyneside Adoption Service manager Terry Fitzpatrick admitted it would be easier and quicker for Mr Miliband to adopt in America.

He said: "A couple who both have English passports have to go through the Home Office for adoption, so that takes longer than if one or both have American passports.

"It's down to particular choice - we don't come across many examples of this as most of the families in our area have their needs met in South Tyneside or nearby regions."

Mr Miliband added: "We are delighted, it's a very nice end to the year. Louise grew up in the US through her childhood and into her 20s.

"She is an American citizen as well as a British citizen and she has adoption rights in America.

"Anyone who has had a child will be aware of all the emotions we felt."

The Journal: Today's Voice of the North

Page 2: American passport assists politician's application