More details of the split Eds have emerged. As Guido reports, Balls has never been to the pub with Miliband, nor knows ‘if he likes the pub or not’. And, in her Times column today (£), Rachel Sylvester reveals that High Speed 2 is another diving line between Labour’s big beasts:
‘There is clear disagreement over HS2 — although Mr Balls’ conference speech, in which he raised concerns about the cost, was approved by Mr Miliband, there was irritation in the leader’s office about the briefing afterwards that emphasised the Shadow Chancellor’s skepticism about the high-speed line.’
After Balls’s conference speech, Brighton was aflutter with rumours that Labour was going to withdraw support for HS2. At a fringe event the same day, James observed that Balls was ‘gleefully contemplating’ what the £50 billion earmarked for the line could otherwise be used for.
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