Mehdi Hasan

Mehdi Hasan’s polemical take on politics, economics and foreign affairs

Careful -- it would be a mistake to write off Ed Balls

The former schools secretary has a good chance of succeeding his ex-boss as Labour leader.

By Mehdi Hasan Published 19 May 2010 19:08

So Ed Balls has finally declared his candidacy for the leadership of the Labour Party. He is not, by any stretch of the imagination, the media's preferred candidate. And some Labour MPs, too, accuse him of being a bully, a schemer and a behind-the-scenes briefer, lacking in charisma, divisive, too close to Gordon Brown and an unreconstructed tribalist. But as I wrote on the Guardian's Comment is Free site during the election campaign:

Perhaps Balls isn't the dyed-in-the-wool Labour tribalist he is so often assumed to be by the great and good in the Westminster village. As even Martin Kettle, one of his leading critics, acknowledged on Cif: "If Balls were to be the next Labour leader, he would not, I think, be quite as bone-headedly labourist as many assume. This is a man who has crossed from the centre right to the centre left of the Labour Party in double-quick time, after all." But Kettle adds: "The main charge that those in the know make about Balls is not that he is dogmatic but that he is purely tactical -- opportunist is the word one hears most often."

Is the Balls shift to the left an act of opportunism? Perhaps -- although he has long been a proponent of "dividing lines" between left and right. Will it be enough to secure the votes of the Labour left? If Jon Cruddas fails to throw his hat in the ring and his opponent is David Miliband, I suspect it will. The children's secretary is making all the right (or should that be left?) noises.

The same journalists, commentators and MPs who wrote off Gordon Brown for three years, and wrongly assumed GB would be toppled by a coup, or resign in shame, or be humiliated on 6 May in a landslide defeat, now write off Balls, claiming he has no chance.

There is no doubt that the former schools secretary faces an uphill struggle against the Miliband brothers -- especially David, the clear front-runner and highest-profile candidate. But as the Guardian's John Harris -- no fan of Balls -- points out today on Cif:

Thus far, he [Balls] seems to be positioning himself as the poster boy for the less-than-erogenous Labour zone where dog-whistle toughness of the John Reid/Hazel Blears variety meets union-friendly Labourism.

The chatterati may scoff, but to the people who kept their party cards while all around were tearing theirs up, that will have a real appeal.

Meanwhile, the new labour-uncut website makes this observation:

Balls is also the one who has done the most work over the last five years. He's the only one who's been assiduously traipsing round the Friday night rubber chicken circuit of local Labour parties since 2005.

He has made the most effort to court the unions, and starts ahead in that section of the electoral college. And he has worked harder than David Miliband, though perhaps not than Ed, at convincing his fellow Labour MPs to like him.

Oh yes, let's not forget the support of the unions -- in particular, Unite.

But Balls's first challenge will be to gather together the necessary 33 signatures from fellow MPs in order to stand next week. Some newspapers have claimed he is struggling to get above 15 MPs, but a source in the Balls camp claims "we're pretty much there already. We're just not putting them all into the public domain at once."

Interestingly, among Balls's declared supporters is the Blairite former defence minister Eric Joyce, who resigned from the Brown government over the handling of the war in Afghanistan. Perhaps, as I've written before, Balls isn't as divisive or tribal a figure as is often assumed in the Westminster village.

Either way, my message to the Miliband brothers and the media: you write him off at your peril.

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Tags: Labour leadership Ed Balls

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31 comments

Fri, 2010-05-21 10:44 — A Cuban In London (not verified)

And Diane's thrown her hat in the ring. Three cheers to her! But don't expect her to win.:-(

Ed??? That's just a load of b***s, mate! :-)

Mon, 2010-05-24 16:13 — Alex (not verified)

Balls doesn't have a chance. As for the new leader, the higher profile the better. We need someone who can be seen in the media opposing the Con-Dems effectively. My money's on David Milliband. By far the most electable.

Fri, 2010-05-21 11:23 — ROBERT TAGGART (not verified)

Do not write Balls off ?
No, do not.
Cart him off someone... please !

Mon, 2010-05-24 21:12 — clem the gem (not verified)

David Milliband has all the personality of an over laundered vest, and has shown zero initiative and guts since becoming an MP.
I have seen nothing to convince me that he would not just be a new labour re-tread.
He is the darling of the media, and the favourite contender as far as the press is concerned because he suits their agenda.
A vote in this leadership election should go towards someone who clearly shows an understanding of where new labour failed, and has the guts to take the party in a somewhat different direction. Hopefully one that wont lose us 5million voters in 13 years.

Wed, 2010-05-19 19:42 — Mike (not verified)

I can't see the Milibands being that popular with the big unions.

McDonnell's candidacy should at least ensure there's an ideological element to the contest, rather than just picking the most Blair-like.

Hopefully a few more outsiders might join the race, David Lammy would be interesting, Harriet Harman shouldn't have ruled herself out either.

Won't write Balls off yet, but I think David Miliband will comfortably win the PLP and Party Members votes, as he is the closest thing the party has to a Nick Clegg, David Cameron or Tony Blair.

Wed, 2010-05-19 20:07 — PhilLaw (not verified)

I hope Balls gets it. A more tribalist, divisive candidate doesn't exist. Son-of-Gordon and bullying neanderthal. Great.
Oh, and well done on your appearance on Question Time. I haven't seen such pompous aggressiveness since primary school. Lost a few votes there.

Wed, 2010-05-19 20:13 — Mike S (not verified)

Find it difficult to see Balls as the way forward. Why Labour didn't take the Tories to the cleaners over Gove's education flagship policy is a mystery. They were surely there for the taking. And Balls didn't step up.

Whoever the leader is, hopefully they will acknowledge the catastrophic anti-libertarian and oppressively authoritarian streak in New Labour that alienated so many traditional Labour voters.

Wed, 2010-05-19 20:14 — Mike (not verified)

PhilLaw - David Miliband could be a more divisive character. Compliant in extraordinary rendition and torture if reports are to be believed, and tarnished with the Iraq brush too.

Wed, 2010-05-19 20:28 — A Francis

The Milibands are both from Marxist stock. Not suitable for purpose.

Wed, 2010-05-19 20:16 — UptheTories (not verified)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7HYqkBvtHk

As a Tory i beg you Labour, please choose Ed Balls.

Wed, 2010-05-19 21:58 — thinkov

congratulations phillaw

you win this weeks mock outrage award

tin of peas on the way

the hyper-ventilating competition is really hotting up you'll have to go a bit to win it again, good luck

Wed, 2010-05-19 22:22 — clem the gem (not verified)

A Francis & upthetories "Marxist stock"? Didnt realise that politics was down to genetics, I just assumed that all conservatives were self-serving pompous prigs, whose love and patriotism was limited to what they own.
Balls could swing it - but he does have an unfortunate name for politics. As to his unbridled opportunism, well, I would have thought we have had enough of that in the last 13 years. Ed M looks a better bet, but really want to know more about McDonnell, now that Cruddas isnt standing.
The team and our approach need to be more balanced than during the New Labour period, if we are to have any chance at gaining ground from this bunch.
Wouldve gone for a Johnson/Cruddas ticket, but they let me down. Where is Major Attlee when you need him?

Wed, 2010-05-19 22:39 — Dag (not verified)

I think that David M is the most electable for the voters that flit between parties. I'm with Clem in that I'm interested in hearing what McDonnell has to say.

At the end of the day the Labour leader has to be alot less inclusive than New Labour and needs to have a broader supporting team.

I've liked everything that i've seen of Ben Bradshaw during the elections, but he's not standing.

I'm hoping that the right person is voted in and that in 5 years time (or before) I never have another Tory government because at this moment in time I'm ashamed to be English.

Wed, 2010-05-19 22:59 — Dag (not verified)

AAH - even worse I could be you.

I'll retreat whilst you strive onto your 200th post of nonsense.

:-)

Wed, 2010-05-19 23:00 — Mrs Nobody

Ed Balls and Millie D and Millie E - is that all Labour have to offer?

We need a new party of the left.

Thu, 2010-05-20 00:51 — Jon Davison (not verified)

Medhi Hasan knows Labour politics like Colonel Sanders knows dadaist art.

When your quoting of other people is longer than your own views ... nuff said.

Another pointless opinion until the NS gets its otherwise interesting new format right.

Thu, 2010-05-20 02:01 — Jan Cosgrove

Ed Balls - appointment of Children's Commissioner, ignored select committee. On vetting and barring scheme, reacted on the hoof, demanded a watered down version, after pressure from the likes of Furedi and 'spiked'. Is he too inclined to bulldoze. If so, about as welcome as bullshit on a whim? Ed M, focus on housing, I do like that I have to admit. What's the talk in the FCO about David M's tenure there?

Thu, 2010-05-20 09:27 — thinkov

no it's because you are an inane nincompoop

Thu, 2010-05-20 09:46 — thinkov

any way other Than McConnell who I will vote for (should he get a nomination!)

What Do the others stand for are they all signatories to the iraq war and pfi

I'm favouring ed illi of the others as a lefty am I right to ?

I've been sucked into the Ed balls is a bad tempered bully thing

Though I have it on better authority that this sin applies to his wife

Thu, 2010-05-20 10:26 — Balwal (not verified)

Just heard that Diane Abbott has entered the race.

Thu, 2010-05-20 10:53 — thinkov

well she may be a tribalist but she's our tribalist.
I need a list of good and bad about them all

not from you aah before you start

Thu, 2010-05-20 12:00 — clem the gem (not verified)

AAH, You really do need a hug dont you? Or a nice cup of tea and a sit down...
"Tribalist"? Bit off calling a black woman that, eh?
I am all for Dianne standing - she should also stand for deputy as well.
Will definitely be dragging my white working class state school oik ass to help her candidacy.
At last, a proper democratic socialist is standing, now for a real debate!

Thu, 2010-05-20 12:31 — Roshan (not verified)

Irrespective of his merits or otherwise, wouldn't it be madness to appoint a leader who just about scraped home in his own constituency? He could get kicked out at the next election? Or am I being thick?

Thu, 2010-05-20 14:11 — thinkov

more off to suggest that tribe only applies to Black Que?

I loved a tribe called quest by the way

now did she scupper the progressive alliance or what?
does she support pr?

Thu, 2010-05-20 15:07 — Rob Michael-Phillips (not verified)

Following a Newsnight summary of the main contenders a couple of nights ago, I youtubed some vintage Kinnock. Pompous yes, ginger definitely, but what damage someone who could speak like that would do now. Is there no-one in these days of Politics as Management, who could get properly worked up and shout eloquently at Cameron and Clegg? No-one at all?