By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk
A survey from ConservativeHome has revealed what many in the Labour Party have suspected for some time – the Tories fear Ed Balls. 26.3% of ConservativeHome readers believe that Ed Balls is the most impressive member of Labour’s front bench team, with Yvette Cooper in 2nd place and Andy Burnham in 3rd. Interestingly, the top three shadow cabinet performers according to Tory supporters match the analysis of Labour supporters in our most recent “State of the party” poll.
That Tory supporters find Balls impressive may explain the obsession their party – and the Prime Minister – have with the shadow chancellor. Yesterday during Ed Balls’ interview with Jeremy Vine on Radio 2, the Tory Press twitter account tweeted 11 times about Balls. The Prime Minister also seems to focus an unusual amount of his time on Balls, referencing him at every available opportunity.
Whilst there were murmuring’s during the leadership contest – and again when Balls became shadow chancellor – that the Tories were releshing facing him across the dispatch box, yet today’s poll has shown their true feelings. Ed Balls is someone who can do real damage to the Tories on the most crucial issue of the day.
Ed Balls is the man the Tories fear.
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