Poll: Tories most fear Ed Balls in opposition


by Sunny Hundal    
October 26, 2010 at 5:02 pm

A survey of those working at the heart of Westminster found that Balls is overwhelmingly seen to present a greater threat than any of his colleagues.

Forty seven% believe that Balls is the Labour politician who can do most damage to the government. Shadow chancellor Alan Johnson was ranked second, but trailed 22 points behind.

Conservative-leaning political insiders rated Balls the most highly, suggesting a deep-seated fear of the pugnacious shadow home secretary, says PoliticsHome – which did the survey.

PH say they interviewed 357 people professionally involved in politics and 952 politically informed members of the public.

Results are politically weighted, but take with a pinch of salt since it’s not clear how this weighting is done.


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Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Tim J

Good job he’s not shadow Chancellor really.

2. John Ruddy

I hate to say this, but I told you so! As good as Alan Johnson is, economics is not his strong suit, and Ed Balls would have torn Osborne apart of CSR. I know some would say that he would have a slightly different economic policy to Ed, but they’re saying that about Alan Johnson as well!

3. Galen10

Damning with faint praise though really isn’t it… like trying to pick the best England player in the World Cup?

4. Tim J

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Ed Balls is an effective opposition MP. He was extremely active in opposition from 1997-2007.

5. Galen10

4

Pffffft… he’s still a crypto-Tory; his opposition was hardly a principled, closely argued critique of the shortomings of the nauseating New Labour project, it was an internal tiff about which version of New Labour was the true faith. He was just as implicated in the whole sorry, disfunctional saga as the rest of the mediocrities in the shadow cabinet.

6. Ted

The only reason the tories are bothered about him is if he (labour) come up with an alternative palatable spending cuts programme. If Labour do that ……….tantrums in the tory camp !

7. Sunny Hundal

I’m betting he’ll be shadow chancellor in two years time.

8. blanco

Please please please make Balls Shadow Chancellor, Labour. The Tories would love that.

9. PDF

Balls obviously should be shadow chancellor.

Johnson only got the job because he is so out of his depth that he won’t be a threat to Ed, who is in a weak enough position as it is.

10. Labour depressed

@7: “I’m betting he’ll be shadow chancellor in two years time”.

Let’s hope there’s a new leader too.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
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  25. Neill Shenton

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  26. Del Shukum

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  27. Ellie Horrocks

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  28. Michael

    RT @sunny_hundal: Poll found that Tories most feared @EdBallsMP in opposition. That's why he's a good choice http://bit.ly/ceYNOf





  • We have a tight comments policy aimed at fostering constructive debate.
  • We believe in free speech but not your right to abuse our space.
  • Abusive, sarcastic or silly comments may be deleted.
  • Misogynist, racist, homophobic and xenophobic comments will be deleted.
  • Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy.

 
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