Labour needs a Byrne rather than a Balls
Peter Hoskin 4:55pm
And Westminster's Idle Question of the Day is: will Ed Balls be made shadow chancellor
under a Miliband leadership? There are good arguments both for and against the proposition – and most of them are made in this blog post by the Guardian's Nicholas Watt. Even Blairites, he says, are warming to the idea of Balls
running Labour's economic policy. But if it's to happen under David Miliband, then the two men would have to reconcile their different views on tackling the deficit. Under Ed Miliband, the
reconciliation would have to be more personal than economic. Neither, I suppose, is impossible.
But as all this speculation whirls around Balls, I do wonder why Liam Byrne's name hasn't been mentioned more often in connection with the role. Put aside his two infamous memos (here and here), and the former chief secretary to the Treasury is more suited to these straitened times than many of his colleagues. He did what, by many accounts, was a diligent job in identifying cuts before the election. And, unlike the government in which he served, he was quite upfront about the process. A few months ago, I even speculated whether he might stand as a "cuts candidate" in the leadership election. Now, his views on the public finances might mesh quite easily with those of the elder Miliband brother.
There is, as always, a snag: Byrne is said to be lobbying for the shadow business job. Perhaps that explains why his name has rather faded from view. But either Miliband might still want to push him towards the shadow chancellorship. After Ed Balls' combative but wrongheaded speech last week, there is now an even greater premium on fiscal sanity – for Labour and for the rest of us.
UPDATE: The FT's Jim Pickard has more on the Balls for shadow chancellor story here – his main observation being that supporters of David Miliband aren't keen on the idea. The New Statesman's George Eaton also weighs in here.
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Sally Chatterjee
August 31st, 2010 5:31pm Report this commentI don't care too much for Labour's internal "democracy" but are not the members of the Shadow Cabinet elected by party members, rather than picked by the leader?
Jim Pickard
August 31st, 2010 5:43pm Report this commentExcept David Miliband's supporters don't want Ed Balls in the shadow chancellorship. Not sure Ed Miliband's do either...read this:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2860da04-b3ae-11df-81aa-00144feabdc0.html
Paul
August 31st, 2010 6:29pm Report this commentBalls, the driving force behind Brown's abolishing tax relief on pensions and who still doesn't accept driving the country into sky-high debt levels is a bad idea against Byrne, the Immigration Minister at the time of "only 13,000 migrants will come to UK after the extension of EU membership", who said taxes wouldn't go up during the election campaign, only to be slapped down by Darling, and though already mentioned, "there is no money left, ho, ho, ho"? What a choice either way.
Chuck Unsworth
August 31st, 2010 6:41pm Report this commentByrne, eh? What's his reputation? He's no Leader, he's just a Pit Bull. Not very intelligent, self interested, precious little sense of direction and a known serial dissembler. So, are these the characteristics that the Labour Party wish to be seen to adopt by electing this clown as their 'Leader'? Not that they haven't long ago, of course.
Moriarty
August 31st, 2010 6:57pm Report this comment@Sally
Presumably the allocation of portfolios/fake jobs is in the leader's gift.
TGF UKIP
August 31st, 2010 7:53pm Report this commentChuck Unsworth gets pretty near it, but if you want to know why Byrne really isn't up to a top job (or most other jobs outside politics) I'd have a word with your demi god, Brillo, if I were you Pete. He might just remind you of an appearance by Byrne on the "Daily Politics" when he was Immigration Minister.
Frank P
August 31st, 2010 8:25pm Report this comment"Labour needs a Byrne rather than a Balls."
After the Scorched Earth comes the Byrned Balls?
Deep Frozen Peas
August 31st, 2010 8:37pm Report this commentI think Mrs Balls aka Yvette Cooper will get it, but Byrne isn't a bad 2nd bet. Numerate, can stand on his hind legs in the Commons, and works hard. The 'note' is a problem, but with decent handling could be a positive - if we really do have no money left, who better to lead the retreat from Brown's Moscow? At least he knows where the bodies are buried.
charles hercock
August 31st, 2010 8:58pm Report this commentOnly Ed Balls has the oomph and personality to OPPOSE,labours current job.If they do not have the sense to elect him Leader,then give him an attack brief.The coaltion will shortly flounder and only Ed B can stick the boot in effectively
Beer Moth
August 31st, 2010 11:00pm Report this commentWhy is it that in every photograph of Byrne, if he is smiling, the expression on his face suggests that there is piss streaming down his inside leg, and this mustn't take much longer because he has to go and get sorted out?
johnphillips123
September 1st, 2010 9:00am Report this commentThe initiative taken for the concern is very serious and need an attention of every one. This is the concern which exists in the society and needs to be eliminated from the society as soon as possible.
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john
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PLR Ebook
Dorothy Wilson
September 1st, 2010 10:07am Report this commentByrne reminds me of a slimy little snake. Yvette Cooper is a shriek. And Balls verges on the deranged. What a choice!
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