Ed Balls and Tribune

Monday, 6th July 2009

Ed Balls has just started on Twitter and he's already an avid user. I have always found Ed perfectly charming, but then, unlike Fraser, he has never bawled me out about anything I have written (even when I suggested he was a socialist).

But when I saw the following "tweet" I thought he was demonstrating his legendary capacity for threatening behaviour: "despite glossy makeover, it's still the same old Tribune -- just like the Tories." Being able to sound menacing in a "tweet" is some skill. What was he getting at? Could he really be saying that Tribune was as bad as the Tories? Had the paper's mild-mannered editor, Chris McLaughlin committed some appalling act of disloyalty.

Turns out, it's a joshing reference from Balls to his latest column. And here's the joke it full:

"I hesitate to start this column by drawing a parallel between Tribune and the Tories. It's courageous, I know. But I hope you will hear me out.

I'm a big fan of the new-look Tribune. But the most important thing about Tribune's transformation over the years - from weekly newspaper to full-colour magazine, with a few steps in-between - is that its core values and beliefs haven't changed. Thankfully for all its stalwart readers, once you've got used to the glossy new look, it's still the same old Tribune.

The last few weeks have been equally reassuring for stalwart Conservatives. We’ve already had the Tory party’s relaunch and glossy make-over. We know they look different. However, as we are seeing more and more with each passing week, the Tories’ core values and beliefs haven’t changed a jot either. This is where the parallel with Tribune ends."

Thank goodness for that. For a minute there I was imagining Balls was falling into the trap of thinking even his friends were against him.

Filed under: Ed Balls (336 more articles) , Socialism (7 more articles) , Socialist (5 more articles) , Tribune (2 more articles)

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Jeremy

July 7th, 2009 12:25am Report this comment

Ed Balls:

"I hesitate to start this column by drawing a parallel between Tribune and the Tories. It's courageous, I know...*cue gails of hysterical laughter*...But I hope you will hear me out. The last few weeks have been equally reassuring for stalwart Conservatives. We’ve already had the Tory party’s relaunch and glossy make-over. We know they look different. However, as we are seeing more and more with each passing week, the Tories’ core values and beliefs haven’t changed a jot either. This is where the parallel with Tribune ends."

Absolutely uproarious. Ah...excuse me, Martin, but is he trying to be funny? I mean, is this what passes for humour on the left?

That, and the slightly patronising - even condescending tone. What's that about? I've noticed this same tendancy in the prose style (!) of John Prescott. Both he and Balls talk down to the reader in the manner of somebody explaining something to a very small and rather dim child.

Where does this tendancy come from? In what is it rooted? And what does it tell us about the writer?

TrevorsDen

July 7th, 2009 10:56am Report this comment

How has Balls got time to 'tweet' (God spare us from this appalling pompous practice). He has a full time job as an MP and a pat time job as a Government Minister?

mac

July 7th, 2009 2:09pm Report this comment

Trevorsden:

It's all part of possessing that giant intellect of his and being chief handmaiden to the World's saviour.
But you knew that, really.

Lambert Simnel

July 7th, 2009 4:50pm Report this comment

The idea that the 'Children's Secretary' is communicating via Twitter is menacing in itself.
I think most 'yoof' would be pretty scared if they received a 'Tweet' from the 'Children's Secretary'.
http://moralorder.mediumisthemess.com/blog

p lewis

July 7th, 2009 8:31pm Report this comment

Balls has a friend? Good grief! Who?

Andrew Taylor

July 8th, 2009 1:04pm Report this comment

I've just watched Gordon Brown's Downfall on Youtube. I'm sure I spotted Balls Skulking about in the background, and wasn't that Yvette Cooper sniffling in the corridor whilst hubby was getting a good rifting from the Great Leader for failing to rustle up some more Labour voters?

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