Thoughts on politics and life from a liberal perspective

Friday 11 June 2010

Watch Ed Balls wriggle

I've just watched Ed Balls' being interviewed by Andrew Neil on The Daily Politics yesterday and my goodness does he wriggle?


Here are a few highlights:

  • When cross-examined about things that people have said about him and his tendencies he keeps demanding that Neil "name them". He offers both Jackie Ashley and Alastair Campbell as examples both of whom he then tries to dismiss out of hand.
  • He tries breathtakingly to claim that he does not need to talk about what cuts he would make as he is not in government! I never noticed his mentor Gordon Brown holding back on demanding the opposition answer his questions all throughout his tenure.
  • He claims at 1:47 that "There are no anonymous briefings from me". I think he is being very careful with the tense here making sure he is talking about the present. There are far too many people who in the past could testify to his tendency to rely very much on this form of briefing. Has the leopard really changed its spots?
  • He claims he is "good mates" with Ed and David Miliband. I can't wait for the memoirs in a few years time!
  • He claims he didn't want Tony Blair out early in the 2005 parliament.

  • I think I will leave it there.

    For anyone who follows politics many of his answers beggar belief frankly and just underline why he would be such a disastrous leader for Labour.

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