Balls wants to be back in power before 2015. Good.

Last week I argued that Labour should make a “big, open and comprehensive offer” to Nick Clegg. As an arch tribalist it was a tough decision to come to, but as I said at the time:

“There’s something I loathe even more than the Liberal Democrats, and that’s a Tory government. Nick Clegg and his party hold the key to either ending or sustaining Cameron’s Premiership. So it’s time to make a big, open and comprehensive offer to the Liberal Democrats.”

The reaction was mixed to say the least. Some were positive (and not just the usual tribal-pluralist Conpass types), but the broader response was to reject the idea outright, which made me fear for the party’s attitude to tough choices, and suggested a renewed comfort with opposition.

Yet today Ed Balls has echoed my argument from last week in an interview with the Independent. He’d be happy to have serve in a coalition government with the Lib Dems, and he doesn’t want to wait until 2015:

“I think it would be much better now and for the future of the country if they did. It would be in the national interest. I don’t think they should wait until 2015.”

That may be a surprising thing to hear from a tribalist such as Balls, but it shows a determination to get back into government that is heartening, and a rational approach to bringing down this government quickly that chimes with Ed Miliband’s comments 18 months ago during the leadership contest.

Balls moves away from my argument in one key respect though, the position of Nick Clegg, who he thinks must stand down if any Lab/Lib deal were to be struck. I fear that he may be right (as far as Labour supporters are concerned), but it’s a non-starter as far as Lib Dems are concerned. It’s not where they are as a party – they’re simply not about to jettison their leader. If any deal is to happen, that is an uncomfortable truth we will need to come to terms with. It seems we’re already some way down that road though – so who knows what 2012 might bring…