BOROUGH MP Andrew Miller is backing Hilary Benn in the battle for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party.

Mr Miller was one of the six peers and MPs to declare his support for the Secretary of State for International Development in a letter published in the Guardian newspaper last week.

Mr Miller says he has already written to his constituency's general committee advising them of his support for Mr Benn, 53-year-old son of legendary Labour left-winger Tony Benn.

The letter says: 'We believe Hilary is the candidate best placed to help rebuild a coalition of trust across the party, ready to take on the Tories at the next election.

'Hilary has integrity, independence of mind and an unhectoring approach to political debate. As Secretary of State for International Development, he has taken a lead in supporting and reforming the UN, in promoting the rights of women in education and development and in his commitment to the battle against HIV.

'We believe he has amply demonstrated the passion, intellect, imaginative thinking and vision that the party will need in its deputy leader.

'Hilary's roots in the party and the trade unions and his record in local government before he became an MP gave him an understanding of the breadth and depth of the Labour movement, allowing him to be a popular and trusted champion for members of the party up and down the country.'

Elected to Ealing Borough Council in 1979 at the age of 25, he was its deputy leader from 1986-1990. Following Labour's 1997 General Election victory, he was appointed special adviser to David Blunkett. In June 1999, he was elected as MP for Leeds Central and in 2001 was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development.

In May 2003, he became Minister of State for International Development and in October of that year was made Secretary of State for International Development. He was appointed to his current role following Labour's 2005 election victory.

So far, Mr Benn is up against Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, Education Secretary Alan Johnson, Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman and backbencher Jon Cruddas for the deputy leadership.