The Balls equation

Maggie

I'm surprised to find myself saying this but I think Ed Balls has grown in stature since the demise of G. Brown. In contrast to his rival candidates, he seems to have developed an aura of gravitas.

Sally Chatterjee

So he'll line with whovever's doing well and able to give him a job then?

The Laughing Cavalier

Why should either of the Milliplonkers bother to give this loser a job?

JohnPage

Balls was dire on Newsnight last night on his special subject, education.

Victor Southern

I am still not going to go behind the Times paywall even if it is plagued here every day, deliberately I suggest.

In particular I would not pay to read about the slow ooze of the "race" for Labour leadership.

strapworld

Maggie finds herself saying that Balls has developed an 'aura'of gravitas!!

I certainly cannot agree with that. He stillcomes across as an empty barrel politicians. Loud and bullying. He would have been better suited as a trades union leader- in the style of Crow or Woodley.

Balls is a throwback BUT, that said, he is far far better than the brothers grimm.

I often wonder who gets the final word. Mr or Mrs Balls?

Verityred

'gravitas'?

Balls is a nasty arrogant thug, which has it's political uses, but 'gravitas', no.

He has his uses in the far from pleasant Labour party but, on radio and tv, comes across as loathsome.

TrevorsDen

Go back on the medication Maggie! Are we saying that his claim that 'there is no need for any cuts' amounts to gravitas?

The problem with balls giving his backing is that
a - it might be the kiss of death
and
b - he by definition will not have much backing to give.

But the sight of the Labour Party reduced to scratching around for Ed Ball's wasted votes is delicious.

TrevorsDen

PS - you cannot help but think that Balls has tied his horse to the wrong wagon. He is playing the role of the traditional left wing union beholden labour leader as opposed to the modernising forward thinking/looking centrist.

Ultimately that wagon was called Gordon Brown. By supporting Brown and conniving at his easy access to the leadership Balls hoped to use that as a platform for himself to dominate the party.

Brown fell flat on his face unfortunately, ironically mostly by following Balls' economic siren voice (greatly aided on
the way by his own incompetence).

Balls has been hoist by his own petard.

JohnPage

A great metaphor-rich comment, TrevorsDen :)

Sir Graphus

Let's lay off Maggie; she's offered an opinion that's quite brave to be posted on this site. To an extent I agree, and I've written before, Balls is an awesomely effective opposition politician. His attack dog mentality, so ill-suited to govt and leadership, is perfect for assaults from the opposition benches.

The question for either Milliband in making Balls shadow chancellor, is the degree to which they're willing to set up recent history to repeat itself.

As for education being his specialist subject, I've never known a minister who was so blatant about his desire to be somewhere else and such complete refusal to take on the brief.

Mary Nash

The opposition is scared of Ed Balls. He is brilliant at expressing his ideas clearly and forcefully. The Labour party has a wealth of young,patriotic ,intelligent leaders in Ed Balls, the Millibands ,Andy Burham and Dianne Abbot. All together united they will make a formidable group that will take the fight to this Coalition Govt, win the election sooner than later before this govt dismantle our public services heartlessly.

Simon Stephenson

Sir Graphus : 11.42am

You may be correct in your assessment of Balls as a highly effective opposition politician, but do you ever question what it is that politics has become that such a person can have become effective at it? Has the last 20-30 years not demonstrated with abundant clarity that adversarial politics is completely ineffective once any of the protagonists start using deceit and disingenuity in the formation of their argumentative thrusts.

Is Balls' effectiveness no more than that he is a skilled and shameless peddler of untruths, willing to say anything that might further his chance of prevailing, and that as a promoter of increased human happiness, his talents are about as much use as a chocolate fireguard?

strapworld

Can anyone inform me if Cameron was ever taught by Ball's father? It may account for Cameron's left wing tendencies!

Paddy

I've changed my mind about all labour politicians.

They are such fun in opposition.

Simon Stephenson

Mary Nash : 12.19pm

When you were typing out Labour's "August Mission Statement for dissemination through Schools and Colleges" I think you got the commas and the space bar mixed up - see the sentence including " ... young,patriotic ,intelligent leaders in Ed Balls, the Millibands ,Andy Burham and
Dianne Abbot"

Also, for future reference, you may find it helpful to be aware that Miliband has only one l, Burnham has an n in it, Diane has only one n, but Abbott has two t's.

J H Holloway

'The Labour party has a wealth of young,patriotic ,intelligent leaders in Ed Balls, the Millibands ,Andy Burham and Dianne Abbot.'

Impossible, All the middle class Labour lot are international socialists and by definition do not believe in national borders.

They only believe the idea of an international working class and an international, permanent, ruling class. Why else would David Blunkett have stated that he could not imagine a numerical limit to immigration?

After all, it is not 'immigration' when you don't believe in national borders.

alexsandr

yeah, Abbott has 2 teas every night. Usually pie and chips.

Jay

Ha ha Mary Nash you describe Abbott "young" - the old bag is close to retirement age.

Brownloather

Irrelevant. He is and always will be a vicious, odious, deceiptful little bastard.

Major Plonquer 1

This must be a new definition of the word 'race'. For me the word conjours some associations with 'speed', 'fastness' and 'the willpower to win'.

I don't think the Labour Party would like to be associated with the other definition of 'race'. No. The classification 'species' might be closer to the mark as, for example, the Milibananas are obviously of a different 'species' from the rest of us (what with looking human/mammalian yet lacking a spine).

Am I wandering again? Gin & Tonic, please.