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| | {{person | | {{person |
| | |image=Ed_Balls.jpg | | |image=Ed_Balls.jpg |
| − | |birth_date= 25 February 1967 | + | |image_width=240px |
| − | |wikipedia=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Balls | + | |birth_date=25 February 1967 |
| | + | |wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Balls |
| | + | |twitter=https://twitter.com/edballs |
| | + | |constitutes=politician, deep state operative? |
| | + | |description=UK politician. 7 Bilderbergs |
| | + | |facebook=https://www.facebook.com/edballs |
| | |website=http://www.edballs.co.uk | | |website=http://www.edballs.co.uk |
| | + | |spouses=Yvette Cooper |
| | + | |alma_mater=Keble College (Oxford), Harvard/Kennedy School |
| | + | |birth_name=Edward Michael Balls |
| | + | |birth_place=Norwich, Norfolk, England |
| | + | |religion=Anglicanism |
| | + | |political_parties=Labour (UK), Co-operative Party |
| | + | |nationality=British |
| | + | |powerbase=http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Ed Balls |
| | + | |children=3 |
| | + | |employment={{job |
| | + | |title=Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| | + | |start=20 January 2011 |
| | + | |end=8 May 2015 |
| | + | }}{{job |
| | + | |title=Shadow Home Secretary |
| | + | |start=8 October 2010 |
| | + | |end=20 January 2011 |
| | + | }}{{job |
| | + | |title=Shadow Secretary of State for Education |
| | + | |start=11 May 2010 |
| | + | |end=8 October 2010 |
| | + | }}{{job |
| | + | |title=Secretary of State for Children Schools and Families |
| | + | |start=28 June 2007 |
| | + | |end=11 May 2010 |
| | + | }}{{job |
| | + | |title=Economic Secretary to the Treasury |
| | + | |start=6 May 2006 |
| | + | |end=28 June 2007 |
| | + | }}{{job |
| | + | |title=Member of Parliament for Morley and Outwood |
| | + | |start=5 May 2005 |
| | + | |end=7 May 2015 |
| | }} | | }} |
| − | '''Edward Michael "Ed" Balls''' is a British Labour Party and Co-operative Party<ref>{{cite web|title=Ed Balls|url=http://www2.labour.org.uk/leadership-Ed-Balls/|publisher=The Labour Party|accessdate=25 June 2010|quote=Ed Balls is the Labour and Co-operative MP for Morley and Outwood|archiveurl= | + | }} |
| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www2.labour.org.uk/leadership-Ed-Balls/|archivedate=9 June 2010}}</ref> politician who, until the May 2015 General Election when he was defeated by the Conservative candidate Andrea Jenkyns,<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3073453/Conservative-Andrea-Jenkins-took-Labour-big-hitter-Ed-Balls-seat-entered-politics-father-contracted-MRSA.html "How soprano singer MP who beat Ed Balls was inspired to enter politics after seeing her father die from MRSA he contracted in NHS hospital"]</ref> was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Morley and Outwood and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ed Balls is rumoured to be seeking another seat that would enable him to return to Parliament.<ref>[http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/could-david-miliband-ed-balls-9232159 "Could David Miliband or Ed Balls take over if 76-year-old Coventry MP steps down?"]</ref>
| + | '''Ed Balls''' is a British Labour Party and Co-operative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Morley and Outwood and [[Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer]] until the May 2015 General Election when he was defeated by the Conservative candidate [[Andrea Jenkyns]].<ref>http://www.party.coop/person/ed-balls/</ref><ref>''[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3073453/Conservative-Andrea-Jenkins-took-Labour-big-hitter-Ed-Balls-seat-entered-politics-father-contracted-MRSA.html "How soprano singer MP who beat Ed Balls was inspired to enter politics after seeing her father die from MRSA he contracted in NHS hospital"]''</ref> |
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| − | From May 2006 to June 2007 Ed Balls was Economic Secretary to the Treasury in [[Tony Blair]]'s government. He served as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families under [[Gordon Brown]] from 2007 to 2010. Ed Balls is married to Labour MP [[Yvette Cooper]] and in June 2007 they became the first married couple to serve together in a British Cabinet when Cooper was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
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| − | In November 2014, Ed Balls argued that Chancellor [[George Osborne]]'s claim to have halved the £1.7bn UK surcharge owed to the [[European Union]] was a "con trick".<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29985950 "George Osborne's EU budget claims 'a con trick' - Ed Balls"]</ref>
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| − | ==Early life==
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| − | Ed Balls' father is the zoologist Michael Balls; his mother is Carolyn Janet Balls (born Riseborough).<ref>Who's Who, published by A & C Black, (2001 edition) ISBN 0713654325</ref> His younger brother is Andrew Balls the head of European Operations at the bond and investment firm PIMCO. Balls was born in Norwich and educated at Bawburgh Primary School in Norwich, Crossdale Drive Primary School in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, and then the private all-boys Nottingham High School, where he played the violin.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/ed-balls-running-his-race-to-the-beat-of-the-peoples-drum-2077196.html|title=Ed Balls: Running his race to the beat of the people's drum|author=Matt Chorley|newspaper=
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| − | The Independent|date=12 September 2010|accessdate=11 June 2011|location= London|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/ed-balls-running-his-race-to-the-beat-of-the-peoples-drum-2077196.html|archivedate=14 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|accessdate=11 June 2011|url=http://www.coopseurope.coop/spip.php?article239|title=Ed Balls MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury|publisher=Cooperatives Europe|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.coopseurope.coop/spip.php?article239|archivedate=14 May 2007}}</ref> He went on to attend Keble College, Oxford, where he gained a First in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, graduating -according to John Rentoul in ''the Independent'' -ahead of [[David Cameron]]. Later he attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, where he was a Kennedy Scholar specialising in Economics.<ref>{{cite news|author=John Rentoul |url=http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/30/origins-of-the-cameron-balls-feud/|title=Origins of the Cameron-Balls Feud|newspaper=The Independent|date=30 March 2011|accessdate=4 April 2011|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/30/origins-of-the-cameron-balls-feud/|archivedate=3 April 2011|location=London}}</ref>
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| − | Balls joined the Labour Party in 1983 while still at school. While at Oxford he was a partially active member of the Labour Club, but also signed up to the Oxford Conservative Association, "because they used to book top-flight political speakers, and only members were allowed to attend their lectures" according to friends.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/pandora/revealed-how-ed-balls-was-a-tory-under-thatcher-406675.html|title=Revealed: How Ed Balls was a Tory under Thatcher], Guy Adamns|newspaper=The Independent|date=5 July 2006|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/pandora/revealed-how-ed-balls-was-a-tory-under-thatcher-406675.html|archivedate=22 October 2009|location=London}}</ref>
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| − | He was a founding member of the all-male drinking club, "The Steamers" and suffered embarrassment when a contemporary photo of him wearing Nazi uniform appeared in the papers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Calder|first=Jonathan|url= http://www.newstatesman.com/education/2008/10/labour-school-life-education |title=Labour's private school heroes|publisher=New Statesman|date= |accessdate=21 January 2012|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.newstatesman.com/education/2008/10/labour-school-life-education|archivedate=28 July 2010}}</ref>
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| − | ===Early career===
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| − | Ed Balls was from 1989 to 1990 a teaching fellow in the Department of Economics, Harvard University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.party.coop/person/ed-balls/|title=Ed Balls:Labour and Co-operative MP for Morley and Outwood, and Shadow Chancellor|work=The Co-operative party|accessdate=28 June 2013}}</ref>
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| − | He joined the ''Financial Times'' in 1990 as a lead economic writer until his appointment as an economic adviser to Shadow Chancellor [[Gordon Brown]] in 1994. When Labour won the 1997 General Election, Brown became Chancellor and Balls continued to work as his economic adviser. He went on to serve as Chairman of HM Treasury's Council of Economic Advisers.
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| − | While he was chief economic adviser to the Treasury, Balls attended the [[Bilderberg Group|Bilderberg annual conference]] of politicians, financiers and businessmen in 2001 and 2003, and returned to the United Kingdom on Conrad Black's private jet on both occasions. In 2010 when after details were reported in the press, Balls commented, "It saved the taxpayer the cost of a plane fare and on both occasions I declared it at the time to the permanent secretary in the normal way."<ref>{{cite news|author=Brian Brady|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-balls-twice-hitched-a-lift-in-lord-blacks-jet-2034993.html|title=Ed Balls twice hitched a life in Lord Black's jet|newspaper=The Independent|date=25 July 2010 |accessdate=25 July 2010|location=London|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-balls-twice-hitched-a-lift-in-lord-blacks-jet-2034993.html|archivedate=28 July 2010}}</ref>
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| − | ==Political career==
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| − | In July 2004, Ed Balls was selected to stand as Labour and Co-operative candidate for the parliamentary seat of Normanton in West Yorkshire, a Labour stronghold whose MP, Bill O'Brien, was retiring. He stepped down as chief economic adviser to the Treasury, but was given a position at the Smith Institute, a political think tank. HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office confirmed that "the normal and proper procedures were followed."<ref>{{cite news|last=Winnett|first=Robert|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/12/ntory312.xml|title= Call for inquiry over Balls's think tank|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=12 November 2007|accessdate=14 June 2010|location=London|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/12/ntory312.xml|archivedate=13 November 2007}}</ref>
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| − | ===Member of Parliament===
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| − | In the 2005 General Election, he was elected MP for Normanton with a majority of 10,002 and 51.2% of the vote. After the Boundary Commission proposed boundary changes which would abolish the constituency, Balls ran a campaign, in connection with the local newspaper the ''Wakefield Express'',<ref name=Wake>{{cite web|url=http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/mp-ed-is-calm-over-his-future-1-944258|title=MP Ed is calm over his future |publisher=Wakefield Express |date=19 October 2006|accessdate=28 June 2013}}</ref> to save the seat and, together with the three other Wakefield MPs (his wife [[Yvette Cooper]], Mary Creagh and Jon Trickett), fought an unsuccessful High Court challenge against the Boundary Commission's proposals.
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| − | In March 2007 he was selected to be the Labour Party candidate for the new Morley and Outwood constituency, which contains parts of the abolished Normanton and Morley and Rothwell constituencies.<ref>{{cite web|author=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster|accessdate=14 June 2010|url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070423/debtext/70423-0019.htm|title=Hansard - House of Commons - 23 Apr 2007. col.754|publisher=Parliament.the-stationery-office.com|archivedate=10 March 2012|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070423/debtext/70423-0019.htm}}</ref>
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| − | On 5 February 2013 MP Ed Balls voted in favour in the House of Commons Second Reading vote on marriage equality in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130205/debtext/130205-0004.htm |title=The House of Commons.2013.Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2012-2013 |publisher=Publications.parliament.uk |date= |accessdate=2014-08-24}}</ref>
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| − | ===Cabinet===
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| − | Ed Balls became Economic Secretary to the Treasury, a junior ministerial position in HM Treasury, in the government reshuffle of May 2006. When [[Gordon Brown]] became Prime Minister on 27 Jun 2007, Balls was promoted to Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
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| − | In October 2008, Balls announced that the government had decided to scrap SATs tests for 14-year-olds,<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/14/sats-scrapped|title=Sats for 14-year-olds are scrapped|last=Curtis|first=Polly|date=14 October 2008|location=London|work=theguardian.com|publisher=Guardian News & Media|accessdate=25 October 2008 |archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/14/sats-scrapped|archivedate=16 October 2008}}</ref> a move which was broadly welcomed by teachers, parent groups and Opposition MPs.<ref>{{cite news|last=Garner|first=Richard|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/national-tests-for-14yearolds-are-scrapped-after-marking-chaos-961393.html|title=National tests for 14-year-olds are scrapped after marking chaos|date=15 October 2008|newspaper=The Independent|publisher=Independent News & Media|accessdate=25 October 2008 |location=London|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/national-tests-for-14yearolds-are-scrapped-after-marking-chaos-961393.html|archivedate=21 November 2008}}</ref> The decision to continue with SATs tests for 11-year-olds was described by head teachers' leader Mick Brookes as a missed opportunity.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tests scrapped for 14-year-olds|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7669254.stm|date=14 October 2008|work=BBC News|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=25 October 2008|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7669254.stm|archivedate=15 October 2008}}</ref>
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| − | In December 2008, in the wake of the "Baby P" case, Ed Balls intervened directly in the running of Haringey Social Services, ordering the immediate dismissal without compensation of Sharon Shoesmith the Director of Children's Services.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sharon Shoesmith sacked after Baby P scandal|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 December 2008|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/baby-p/3684957/Sharon-Shoesmith-sacked-after-Baby-P-scandal.html|accessdate=18 January 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/baby-p/3684957/Sharon-Shoesmith-sacked-after-Baby-P-scandal.html|archivedate=11 December 2008|location=London}}</ref> [[David Cameron]] had also called for her dismissal. Prior to her dismissal, Shoesmith had been widely praised in her former role as Director of Education, though she was handicapped by having no social work background.<ref name=beeb-sharon>{{cite news|title=Profile: Sharon Shoesmith|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8639000/8639697.stm|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=18 January 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8639000/8639697.stm|archivedate=26 April 2010|first=Tim|last=Donovan|date=27 May 2011}}</ref> An emergency Ofsted report ordered by Balls in November 2008 following the child abuse trial found that safeguarding arrangements were inadequate though Shoesmith's lawyers claimed the final report was changed.<ref>{{cite news|first=Angela |last=Harrison|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8599616.stm|title=Ofsted changed Shoesmith report|first=Angela |last=Harrison|work=BBC News|date=1 April 2010|accessdate= 20 January 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8599616.stm|archivedate=4 April 2010}}</ref>
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| − | Shoesmith subsequently brought a Judicial review against Balls, Ofsted and Haringey Council and a series of appeals followed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11626806|title= Timeline of Baby P case|work=BBC news|date=15 February 2012|accessdate=29 April 2013 |archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11626806|archivedate=4 November 2010}}</ref> The Conservative Opposition supported Ball's right to dismiss her "because ministers want to uphold the principle that they – and not the courts, through judicial review – should be responsible for their decisions".<ref>{{cite news|first=Patrick |last=Butler |first2=Nicholas|last2= Watt|title= Sharon Shoesmith turns on Ed Balls after court rules her dismissal unfair|newspaper =The Guardian|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/may/27/sharon-shoesmith-baby-p-case|date =27 May 2011|accessdate=18 January 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/may/27/sharon-shoesmith-baby-p-case|archivedate=28 May 2011|location=London}}</ref> She received compensation because her sacking had been "procedurally unfair"<ref>{{cite news|title=Sharon Shoesmith Sacking: Baby Peter director wins appeal|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13570959|work=BBC News|date=27 May 2011|accessdate=18 January 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13570959|archivedate=27 May 2011}}</ref> and the Department for Children, Schools and Families was subsequently refused leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. In October 2013 it was reported that Shoesmith had agreed an out-of-court settlement with her former employer Haringey Council; unconfirmed reports referred to a sum of 'up to £600,000'. Appeal Court judge Lord Neuberger had described Balls' dismissal of Shoesmith as 'unlawful', but in a statement issued on 29 October, Balls asserted that 'faced with the same situation [he] would do the same thing again.'<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/baby-p/10410698/Baby-P-boss-Sharon-Shoesmiths-payout-shocking.html|first=Matthew |last=Holhouse|title=Baby P boss Sharon Shoesmith's payout 'shocking'|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=29 October 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/baby-p/10410698/Baby-P-boss-Sharon-Shoesmiths-payout-shocking.html|archivedate=29 March 2014|location=London}}</ref>
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| − | Balls sponsored the Children, Schools and Families Bill which had its first reading on 19 November 2009.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Services.parliament.uk|url= http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2009-10/childrenschoolsandfamilies.html|title= Children, Schools and Families Bill 2009-10|date=8 April 2010|accessdate=14 June 2010|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2009-10/childrenschoolsandfamilies.html|archivedate=27 November 2009}}</ref> Part of the proposed legislation will see regulation of parents who home educate their children in England, introduced in response to the Badman Review, with annual inspections to determine quality of education and welfare of the child. Home educators across the UK petitioned their MPs to remove the proposed legislation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8404635.stm|title=Home educators in record petition of MPs|publisher=BBC News|date=9 December 2009 |archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8404635.stm|archivedate=10 December 2009}}</ref>
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| − | Several parts of the Bill, including the proposed register for home educators, and compulsory sex education lessons, were abandoned as they had failed to gain cross party support prior to the pending May 2010 election.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8607677.stm|title=Ed Balls drops key education reforms|publisher=BBC News|date=7 April 2010|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8607677.stm|archivedate=8 April 2010}}</ref>
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| − | ===Labour leadership election===
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| − | At the 2010 General Election, Balls narrowly won the newly created Morley and Outwood seat with 37.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The BBC|accessdate=10 May 2010|title=Election 2010|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/c99.stm|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/c99.stm|archivedate=9 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/england/8667695.stm|title=Education secretary Ed Balls avoids 'Portillo moment'|publisher=BBC News|date=7 May 2010|accessdate=14 June 2010|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/england/8667695.stm|archivedate=9 May 2010}}</ref> The General Election resulted in a hung parliament, with the Conservatives having the most votes and seats, but no overall majority. Several days after the election, on 11 May, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats announced that they would form a coalition government, shortly after [[Gordon Brown]] resigned as both Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party.
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| − | Ed Balls announced, in Nottingham, on 19 May 2010 that he was standing in the election to replace Gordon Brown. Balls was the third candidate to secure the minimum of 33 nominations from members of the Parliamentary Labour Party in order to enter the leadership race. The other contenders were former Foreign Secretary [[David Miliband]], former Health Secretary [[Andy Burnham]], backbencher [[Diane Abbott]] and former Energy Secretary [[Ed Miliband]], who would go on to win.
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| − | ===Shadow Cabinet===
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| − | New Labour Leader [[Ed Miliband]] appointed Ed Balls Shadow Home Secretary on 8 October 2010, a job he held until 20 January 2011, when the resignation of Alan Johnson due to "personal reasons" led Miliband to announce Balls as Labour's Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12242397|title=Alan Johnson 'to quit front-line politics'|date=20 January 2011|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12242397 |archivedate=21 January 2011}}</ref> As Shadow Chancellor, Balls regularly appears with Miliband at joint press conferences relating to Labour policy. Together with Miliband, Balls has promoted a "five-point plan for jobs and growth" since he took office as Shadow Chancellor. The plan is described as aimed at helping the UK economy, and involves reinstating the bonus tax to fund building more social homes, bringing forward long-term investment, cutting VAT to 17.5%, cutting VAT on home improvements to 5% for one year, and instigating a one year national insurance break.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labour.org.uk/plan|title=Labour's plan for jobs and growth|publisher=[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]|date=19 October 2011|accessdate=21 January 2012|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.labour.org.uk/plan|archivedate=14 October 2011}}</ref>
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| − | Balls revealed in January 2012 that he will continue with the public sector pay freeze which led to opposition from Len McCluskey. He had a bruising exchange in the House of Commons with [[George Osborne]] regarding the Libor rate scandal, where Osborne accused Balls of being involved in the scandal. Conservative MPs became unhappy after Bank of England deputy governor, Paul Tucker denied encouragement to pressurise Barclays with [[Andrea Leadsom]] saying Osborne had made a mistake and should apologise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jul/10/george-osborne-apology-ed-balls|title=George Osborne faces Tory pressure to apologise to Ed Balls|first= Nicholas |last=Watt |first2=Hélène |last2=Mulholland|work=Guardian newspapers|date=10 July 2012 |accessdate=26 September 2013|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jul/10/george-osborne-apology-ed-balls|archivedate=28 September 2013}}</ref>
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| − | ==Political activities==
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| − | Ed Balls has played a prominent role in the Fabian Society. In 1992 he wrote a Fabian pamphlet advocating Bank of England independence, a policy adopted when Gordon Brown became Chancellor in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245453/Schools-secretary-Ed-Balls-reveals-stammer.html|title=Ed Balls reveals his struggle with secret stammer|publisher=Daily Mail|work=Mail Online|date=20 January 2011|accessdate=29 March 2014|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245453/Schools-secretary-Ed-Balls-reveals-stammer.html|archivedate=25 January 2010|location=London|first=Ryan|last=Kisiel}}</ref>
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| − | Balls was elected Vice-Chair of the Fabian Society for 2006 and Chair of the Fabian Society for 2007. As Vice-Chair of the Fabian Society, he launched the Fabian Life Chances Commission report in April 2006<ref>{{cite web|url= http://fabians.org.uk/publications/books/narrowing-the-gap|title=The Fabian Society - Narrowing the Gap: The final report of the Fabian Commission on Life Chances and Child Poverty|publisher=Fabians.org.uk|accessdate=14 June 2010|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://fabians.org.uk/publications/books/narrowing-the-gap|archivedate=6 May 2008}}</ref> and opened the Society's Next Decade lecture series in November 2006,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The Fabian Society|url= http://fabians.org.uk/events/events/-stronger-europe-essential-says-ed-balls|title= Ed Balls 'Next Decade' lecture: Britain's Next Decade|date=1 November 2006|accessdate=14 June 2010|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20080610185332/http://fabians.org.uk/events/events/-stronger-europe-essential-says-ed-balls|archivedate=10 June 2008}}{{dead link|date=August 2014}}</ref> arguing for closer European cooperation on the environment.
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| − | Balls has been a central figure in New Labour's economic reform agenda. He and [[Gordon Brown]] have differed from the Blairites in being keen to stress their roots in Labour party intellectual traditions such as Fabianism and the Co-operative movement as well as their modernising credentials in policy and electoral terms. In a ''New Statesman'' interview in March 2006, Martin Bright writes that Balls "says the use of the term 'socialist' is less of a problem for his generation than it has been for older politicians like Blair and Brown, who remain bruised by the ideological warfare of the 1970s and 1980s".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200603200022|title= Interview: Ed Balls|publisher=New Statesman| date = 20 March 2006|accessdate=14 June 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/1312941898778556|archivedate=10 August 2011 }}</ref>
| + | Married to Blairite Labour MP [[Yvette Cooper]], Ed Balls was initially rumoured to be seeking another seat that would enable him to return to Parliament. Later in 2015, he supported his wife's unsuccessful bid to become [[Leader of the Labour Party]].<ref>''[http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/could-david-miliband-ed-balls-9232159 "Could David Miliband or Ed Balls take over if 76-year-old Coventry MP steps down?"]''</ref> |
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| − | "When I was at college, the economic system in eastern Europe was crumbling. We didn't have to ask the question of whether we should adopt a globally integrated, market-based model. For me, it is now a question of what values you have. Socialism, as represented by the Labour Party, the Fabian Society, the Co-operative movement, is a tradition I can be proud of", said Balls.
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| − | ==Personal life==
| + | In the 2016 leadership campaign, Ed Balls declared his support for former political lobbyist for [[Pfizer]], [[Owen Smith]], against the "leftist utopian fantasy" of [[Jeremy Corbyn]].<ref>''[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/29/ed-balls-compares-jeremy-corbyns-leadership-style-to-a-leftist-u/ "Ed Balls hits out at Jeremy Corbyn's 'leftist utopian fantasy'"]''</ref> |
| − | Ed Balls married [[Yvette Cooper]] MP in Eastbourne on 10 January 1998.<ref>{{cite web|title="Debrett's People of Today 2011", Extract Editions|date= 2011| page=77|url=http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/455/1210/7772/3/113 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/1312834585731429|archivedate=8 August 2011|accessdate=31 August 2014}}</ref> Cooper is Member of Parliament for Morley & Outwood's neighbouring constituency of Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford. They have three children.<ref>{{cite news|url =http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1338650/Health-minister-celebrates-birth.html|title=Health minister celebrates birth|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=27 August 2001|accessdate=14 June 2010|location=London|archiveurl= | |
| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1338650/Health-minister-celebrates-birth.html|archivedate=23 February 2012}}</ref> Cooper and Balls were the first married couple to serve together in the British cabinet.<ref>{{cite news|accessdate=20 November 2011|publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7642459.stm|title=The Cabinet: Who's Who|date=30 November 2009|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7642459.stm|archivedate=4 October 2008}}</ref>
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| − | Ed Balls was fined in June 2013 for going through a red light in December 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23093338|title= Ed Balls fined for going through red traffic light|work=BBC news|date=28 June 2013 |accessdate=28 June 2013|archiveurl= | + | ==Tripping the "leftist utopian fantasy"== |
| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23093338|archivedate=28 June 2013}}</ref> He has also admitted speeding in April 2013 and using his mobile phone whilst driving during the 2010 General Election.
| + | [[File:Strictly_Balls.jpg|260px|left|thumb|"More chance of being the next Prime Minister than he has of winning ''Strictly''"]] |
| | + | In September 2016, Ed Balls joined the new series of ''Strictly Come Dancing'' partnered with Russian professional dancer Katya Jones.<ref>''[http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/14831262.Ed_Balls_confesses_guilt_at_starring_on_dance_floor_not_Commons_floor/ "Ed Balls confesses guilt at starring on dance floor not Commons floor"]''</ref> This prompted Tony Parsons in ''[[The Sun]]'' to wager: |
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| − | Ed Balls is a fan of Norwich City F.C.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567402/Profile-Ed-Balls.html|title=Ed Balls-profile|publisher=The Telegraph|date=27 October 2007|accessdate=10 June 2010 |location=London|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567402/Profile-Ed-Balls.html|archivedate=9 September 2010}}</ref> | + | :"Ed Balls, 50 next birthday, has more chance of being the next Prime Minister than he has of winning ''Strictly''. |
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| − | In September 2010, the British Stammering Association announced that Balls had become a patron of the Association. Its Chief Executive, Norbert Lieckfeldt, paid tribute to him for having been very public in his declaration that he has at times struggled with his speech.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Speaking Out|url= http://stammering.org/edballspatron.html|title=Ed Balls MP becomes BSA patron
| + | :"But I wish him well because Ed carries the hopes of all us dad dancers, all the half-cut geezers who ever took to a dance floor with wedding cake smeared down their shirt, all the disco dancing fools who ever practised Michael Jackson’s ''Moonwalk'' with just their bedroom mirror for a partner. |
| − | |publisher=British Stammering Association|date=Winter 2010|accessdate=15 June 2011|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://stammering.org/edballspatron.html|archivedate=27 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/7056823/Ed-Balls-People-who-stammer-avoid-certain-situations-but-in-my-job-you-cant.html|title=Ed Balls: People who stammer avoid certain situations,but in my job you can't|last=Riddell|first= Mary |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=23 January 2010|accessdate=15 June 2011|location=London|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/7056823/Ed-Balls-People-who-stammer-avoid-certain-situations-but-in-my-job-you-cant.html|archivedate=26 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1221870/Ive-battled-stammer-life-reveals-Schools-Secretary-Ed-Balls.html|title= I've battled a stammer all my life, reveals Schools Secretary Ed Balls|publisher= ''Daily Mail''|work=Mail Online|date= 21 October 2009|accessdate=15 June 2011|location=London|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1221870/Ive-battled-stammer-life-reveals-Schools-Secretary-Ed-Balls.html|archivedate =22 October 2009}}</ref>
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| − | ===Allegations over allowances===
| + | :"We can dream of dancing on ''Strictly''. And leave Ed to live the nightmare."<ref>''[https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1722934/my-strictly-dream-will-become-ed-balls-living-nightmare/ "My strictly dream will become Ed Balls’ living nightmare"]''</ref> |
| − | In September 2007, with his wife [[Yvette Cooper]] MP, he was accused by Liberal Democrat MP [[Norman Baker]] of "breaking the spirit of Commons rules" by using MPs' allowances to help pay for a £655,000 home in north London.<ref>{{cite news|last= Hope|first=Christopher|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/24/nrules124.xml|title=Ed Balls claims £27,000 subsidy for 2nd home|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=24 September 2007|accessdate=14 June 2010|location=London|archiveurl=
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| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/24/nrules124.xml|archivedate=10 December 2007}}</ref> Balls and Cooper bought a four bedroom house in Stoke Newington, and registered this as their second home (rather than their home in Castleford, West Yorkshire) in order to qualify for up to £44,000 a year to subsidise a reported £438,000 mortgage under the Commons Additional Costs Allowance, of which they claimed £24,400. Both worked in London full-time and their children attended local London schools. Balls and Cooper claimed that "The whole family travel between their Yorkshire home and London each week when Parliament is sitting. As they are all in London during the week, their children have always attended the nearest school to their London house."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1564016/Ed-Balls-claims-27000-subsidy-for-2nd-home.html|title=Ed Balls claims £27,000 subsidy for 2nd home|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=24 September 2007|accessdate=14 June 2010|location=London|first1=Christopher|last1=Hope|first2=Kara|last2=Gammell|archiveurl=//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1564016/Ed-Balls-claims-27000-subsidy-for-2nd-home.html|archivedate=18 May 2008}}</ref>
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| − | Balls and Cooper "flipped" the designation of their second home three times within the space of two years.<ref>{{cite news|last=Prince|first=Rosa|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5325590/Ed-Balls-and-Yvette-Cooper-flipped-homes-three-times-MPs-expenses.html|title=Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper 'flipped' homes three times: MPs' expenses|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=15 May 2009|accessdate=14 June 2010|location=London|archiveurl= | + | In October 2016, Ed Balls had reportedly foxtrotted onto the short list of Labour candidates who were competing to stand at the [[2016 Richmond Park by-election]], caused by the resignation of Tory [[Zac Goldsmith]].<ref>''[https://twitter.com/LucyMPowell/status/792811046528487425 "Maybe we should run @edballs for Richmond Park?"]''</ref> On 5 November 2016 journalist, author, and railway historian [[Christian Wolmar]] was formally selected as the Labour candidate.<ref>''[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/nov/06/labour-byelection-candidate-would-vote-against-brexit-bill "Richmond byelection: Labour candidate says it is right to contest seat"]''</ref> |
| − | //web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5325590/Ed-Balls-and-Yvette-Cooper-flipped-homes-three-times-MPs-expenses.html|archivedate=18 May 2008}}</ref>
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| − | In June 2008 they were referred to the Standards Commissioner over allegations that they were claiming expenses for what was effectively their main home in London, their combined claim was £24,000 i.e. "slightly more" than the single MP allowance. The Commissioner exonerated them, adding that their motives were not for profit as they paid full capital gains tax. | + | ==Bilderberg== |
| | + | While he was chief economic adviser to the Treasury, Balls attended the [[Bilderberg Group|Bilderberg annual conference]] of politicians, financiers and businessmen in 2001 and 2003, and returned to the United Kingdom on [[Conrad Black]]'s private jet on both occasions. In 2010 after details were reported in the press, Balls commented: |
| | + | :"It saved the taxpayer the cost of a plane fare and on both occasions I declared it at the time to the permanent secretary in the normal way."<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-balls-twice-hitched-a-lift-in-lord-blacks-jet-2034993.html</ref><ref>''[//web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-balls-twice-hitched-a-lift-in-lord-blacks-jet-2034993.html "Ed Balls twice hitched a lift in Lord Black's jet"] archived 28 July 2010''</ref> |
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| − | ===Fined for failing to stop after a car "crash"=== | + | ==Highballs== |
| − | On 5 August 2014 Ed Balls was fined £900 and given 5 penalty points on his driving licence for failing to stop after a car "crash". He claimed he knew that the cars had touched, but didn't stop to check as he didn't think any damage had been done.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bradford-west-yorkshire-28658217|title=Shadow chancellor Ed Balls fined over car accident|newspaper=BBC News |date=5 August 2014|accessdate=5 August 2014|location=London}}</ref>
| + | Ed Balls is currently a Senior Fellow at [[Harvard University]] Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, and a Visiting Professor to the Policy Institute at [[King's College London]]. He was appointed chairman of Norwich City F.C. in December 2015.<ref>http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/norwich-city-ed-balls-announcement-news-2870592.aspx</ref> |
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Ed Balls 
