A genuine double act

When Ed Miliband moved Ed Balls into the role of shadow chancellor back in January, there were many who wondered how that would work. Balls had his heart on the treasury brief from the end of the leadership contest onwards (if not earlier), yet Miliband denied him the role first time round. Balls was moved to shadow the home office, and proceeded to make Theresa May’s life hell – although it was clear that the role didn’t preoccupy him in the way an economic role might.

It was fortuitous – for Balls at least – that Alan Johnson stood down in January and that Miliband was given a second chance to place a round peg in the round hole. Balls as shadow chancellor is a snug fit. Of course some worried that it would be too snug for Miliband. Tight, restrictive – even a straight jacket.

The early signs were ok. In their first press conference together Miliband and Balls stood side by side at podiums, unlike Alan Johnson who had sat subservient at the side of the Labour leader. This was clearly intended to be a double act, but Balls is a powerful personality. Could that work?

In the intervening months there have been occasional glimpses behind the curtain as their working relationship began to change. It would be wrong to describe this as a burgeoning relationship – after all the two Eds have been working together on and off for fifteen years. Yet this is certainly a relationship that is evolving. Miliband, for the first time, is now the senior partner. In interviews the two have been careful to refer to each other in glowing terms – a non too subtle exercise in positive re-enforcement.

There have been other glimpses of the relationship too, that are harder to fake. At an event in parliament I attended a few months ago, Balls suddenly appeared at the back of the room, beckoning an MP into the corridor for a chat. Laughter followed. And then to the surprise of everyone in the room, both Eds emerged – they had clearly been prowling the corridors together. They also seemed comfortable in each others company. Plenty of eye contact. Jokes. Self-deprication.

And that’s the tone that the two managed to strike today. Both seemed comfortable with each other’s responses, neither trod on the toes of the other, and both were relaxed. Even when Guido Fawkes (aka Paul Staines) asked a question about a business dinner that Miliband had held last night.

At times the event verged on chummy. Patrick O’Flynn of the Express said some were trying to spin today as “Butch and Sundance”. To be corny for a moment (allow me that) – this was more “brains and substance”.

An hour on the economy, without confusion or conflict, is – whatever your politics – something of a feat. I doubt we’ll ever see Cameron and Osborne take on a similar challenge and be similarly sure footed.

In reality content of the event – Labour’s five point plan – is something attentive conference goers have heard already – there’s little need to rehash those arguments here. But what today really told us was that this is certainly a double act, a team – a leader and his shadow chancellor working in tandem. And as two men who witnessed what those relationships can be like when things go awry, let’s hope they keep it that way. If they don’t – you’ll be the first to know…