Balls says he's spoken to McBride
James Forsyth 7:45pm
I’m not quite sure whether to give Ed Balls marks for honesty, not a phrase one writes often, for admitting that he is still in contact with Damian McBride or to say that it shows that the Brownites are loyal to each other not to any set of ideals or standards of behaviour. Certainly, Balls’ answer is more honest than his infamous attempt on the Today Programme to claim that he didn’t really know McBride any better than anyone else who had worked with him did.
Ed Balls tells Gaby Hinsliff that he has ‘Of course not’ discussed policy with McBride. But then again as the Red Rag emails showed there wasn’t much policy involved in some of McBride’s political work.
PS Just for the record, here are the two answers that Brown has given at PMQs when asked if he has any contact with McBride:
Mr. Lee Scott (Ilford, North) (Con): Will the Prime Minister tell the House whether the Government have received any informal briefings from Damian McBride?The Prime Minister: I have not.
James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend, East) (Con): Can the Prime Minister confirm whether he has had any correspondence, e-mail, telephone calls or texts from Damian McBride since the day he resigned, and just to clear up the confusion that there seems to be around this issue, will he write to the Parliamentary Standards Authority confirming the answer to this question?The Prime Minister: The answer is no, but is it not amazing when we are discussing Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and other major issues that a Back Bencher can reduce himself to re-asking a question that was asked last week?
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trevorsden
June 28th, 2009 8:27pm Report this commentIts amazing that no one trusts Gordon Brown's syntax anymore.
mitch
June 28th, 2009 8:40pm Report this commentI am ashamed to belong to the same species as ed balls, along with brown they show the worst traits in humanity.These two will happily watch 60,000,000 people bankrupted just to save their jobs.
The Bellman
June 28th, 2009 9:02pm Report this commentIf the questions were as James transcribes, it was stupid of Duddridge to frame the question as 'he' instead of repeating Scott's earlier formulation using 'the government'. McSnotty can with a relatively straight face argue that he denied obnly that he himself had had contact with McBride. Whether this smacks too much of Clintonian dissembling, it reinforces the point that the Opposition has got to be a lot sharper to skewer this unpleasant fellow and his semi-detached relationship with truth.
Sarum Sea
June 28th, 2009 9:11pm Report this commentSo, here we are. The most outrageous fibs are seemingly taken at face value and you journalist chaps now seek to expose that which you have colluded with throughout the times of this mendacious government.
Where were you all when McBride etc were were peddling their wares? Lapping them up!
It ill-behoves you now to turn on them. They have fed you the lies you have peddled to an electorate, now so ill-educated they cannot tell spin from reality. You are all tarred with the same brush they are.
Chuck Unsworth
June 28th, 2009 9:24pm Report this commentBrown's response does not rule out the possibility of 'speaking with' McBride via a third party, of course. Who might that be?
And why has Balls now decided to volunteer this information?
Grumpy Old Man.
June 28th, 2009 9:55pm Report this commentSomebody knows something, and is placing the improvised political device very carefully, methinks.
Spotted Dick
June 28th, 2009 9:56pm Report this commentBalls & Co can have their meetings, make their statements and reassure themselves with the proximity of the trappings of office; but they know inside that it is all over. From here on it is all just a spoiling excercise.
Susan Hill
June 28th, 2009 11:22pm Report this commentGod, Balls has a smug face.
JohnAnt
June 28th, 2009 11:42pm Report this commentGood to see that Balls has learnt one great art from Brown: how to give a smirk that's so conceited that it antagonises all right-thinking people at a stroke.
Well done Ed. That's another two Labour seats lost then.
strapworld
June 29th, 2009 8:07am Report this commentGrumpy old man has made a wise comment and one I believe, in time, truth will out!
I have not seen comments from 'Sarum Sea' before!but the comment does imply that the writer is looking down on the people, so I presume the writer must be 'in the mix'
what else can be made from such an arrogant sentence as this :- "They have fed you the lies you have peddled to an electorate, now so ill-educated they cannot tell spin from reality".
Well, Suck em and sea..UP YOURS!
Percy
June 29th, 2009 11:00am Report this commentI'm not sure this can be true as I think you'll find Mr Balls doesn't know who this fellow McBride is.
Patrick
June 29th, 2009 11:29am Report this commentThe dog returns to his vomit.
mitch
June 29th, 2009 11:58am Report this commentBoth questions allow Brown to say 'no' honestly.
The first asks about 'the government'; the second is actually 2 questions, and Brown could claim to be answering the second.
Ed Balls
June 29th, 2009 12:46pm Report this commentSo What?
Daveyone
June 29th, 2009 1:03pm Report this commentI just wish Ed Balls would do the job he is asigned to do which at the top of his list should be the reform of the social services esp in the wake of Baby Peter, Victoria Climbe and Khyra Ishaq!
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