It appears now that the leader of the Labour party will be a Miliband, David or Ed that is. It does also appear that since the general election and the departure of Gordon Brown, this story has been ongoing for an age. Do we ultimately know where they will want to take the Labour party? Will they move the party in a particular direction? Will they challenge the Coalition Government? It is lamentable from a news perspective that we have learnt nothing new about the two. We know that Ed wrote the recent Labour manifesto, David was the head of policy under Tony Blair and that their father was a Russo-Belgian Communist Jew who moved to Britain to escape persecution. That appears to be all. The candidate receiving the worst coverage is Ed Balls, not because his name is the same as Wayne Rooney’s profession; but because of his so-called insidious alliance with Gordon Brown throughout his time in the New Labour government.
Balls too is on the campaign trail and with his time and experience in the Treasury, he has made some important reflections on the Coalition’s attempts on the recovery. Balls is correct to question the severity in cuts and the possibility of a double-dip recession, as seen in Japan in the mid-nineties. He has also attacked the Education Secretary Michael Gove on his mishandling of the schools rebuilding scheme and his push to increase the number of academies and start-up schools (there is a bit of history between these two). The problem for Balls, that doesn’t seem to affect the Milibands, is that he is seen by voters as part of the old wallpaper within New Labour. He was Brown’s special advisor within the Treasury and implicated as part of the epoch of financial meltdown. Despite his obvious intelligence and perspective on economics, he doesn’t have the same amicability of Vince Cable or Ken Clarke that the public warm too. Despite making some salient points politically, he is tarred in the media as part of the New Labour coterie of using spin-based politics. On camera he seems quite friendly, yet spiteful from all accounts in the Westminster Village.
Inevitably, if the election goes to plan then he may become the next Shadow Chancellor and play an important part in recovering Labour’s record on the economy. However for Balls despite his penance, it seems distant for him to win anyone’s trust or support anytime soon.
Balls too is on the campaign trail and with his time and experience in the Treasury, he has made some important reflections on the Coalition’s attempts on the recovery. Balls is correct to question the severity in cuts and the possibility of a double-dip recession, as seen in Japan in the mid-nineties. He has also attacked the Education Secretary Michael Gove on his mishandling of the schools rebuilding scheme and his push to increase the number of academies and start-up schools (there is a bit of history between these two). The problem for Balls, that doesn’t seem to affect the Milibands, is that he is seen by voters as part of the old wallpaper within New Labour. He was Brown’s special advisor within the Treasury and implicated as part of the epoch of financial meltdown. Despite his obvious intelligence and perspective on economics, he doesn’t have the same amicability of Vince Cable or Ken Clarke that the public warm too. Despite making some salient points politically, he is tarred in the media as part of the New Labour coterie of using spin-based politics. On camera he seems quite friendly, yet spiteful from all accounts in the Westminster Village.
Inevitably, if the election goes to plan then he may become the next Shadow Chancellor and play an important part in recovering Labour’s record on the economy. However for Balls despite his penance, it seems distant for him to win anyone’s trust or support anytime soon.
I've just learnt something new about David Miliband: his favourite sweet is a Snickers. I'm sure Labour voters will cast their votes now.
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