Ed Balls
Ed Balls is the Labour & Co-operative MP for Morley and Outwood and Shadow Chancellor.
He was previously MP for Normanton (2005-2010) and Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary (2010-11), Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007-2010) and Economic Secretary to the Treasury (2006-2007).
Ed is proud to be a member of Unite, Unison and the Co-operative Party. Born in Norwich in 1967, his family moved to Nottingham when Ed was 8. He attended Crossdale Drive primary school and then Nottingham High School. Ed went on to study at Keble College, Oxford, and the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard.
Ed has been a teaching fellow in the Department of Economics, Harvard (1989-90) and a columnist for the Financial Times, Guardian, New Statesman and Tribune. Ed is married to Yvette Cooper MP. They have three children – Ellie, Joe and Maddy – and live in Castleford. His interests include music, cooking and playing football with his children.
Listed among: Members of Parliament
- Credit union reform initiated by Ed Balls finally passed (8 Nov 2011)Today Parliament finally approved changes to legislation which will free up credit unions to reach many more members, including community groups and businesses. A Legislative Reform Order, which makes changes to the Credit Unions Act 1979, has been approved by Parliament and new rules that enable credit unions to compete more effectively with banks and [...]
- Twigg to Education, Thomas now Shadow Minister for Co-ops (10 Oct 2011)Several Co-operative MPs, including some elected to Parliament in 2010, have featured prominently in Ed Miliband’s reshuffle of the shadow frontbench team over the weekend. Joining Ed Balls MP and Lord Steve Bassam in Shadow Cabinet will be Stephen Twigg, Labour & Co-operative MP for Liverpool West Derby since 2010 and now Shadow Education Secretary. [...]
- The co-operative week in Westminster (16 Sep 2011)Parliamentary Officer Joe Fortune rounds up the latest from Parliament with the work of Co-operative Parliamentarians. This regular column will briefly round up some of the important or noteworthy pieces of Parliamentary activity and business for co-operators each week. It will highlight the work being done by Co-operative Party MPs and co-operators in Westminster. Of [...]
- After long delay, credit union reform finally given time by Coalition (26 Jul 2011)A long-awaited Legislative Reform Order to modernise credit union law has finally been laid by the Conservative-led Government after a delay of more than a year since the general election. The Order – a piece of legislation that does not have to go through the full Parliamentary process – will also allow credit unions to [...]
- Have the leadership candidates been co-operating? (11 Sep 2010)When Alex Baker asked LabourList back in June ‘when are our leadership candidates going to start co-operating?’ it was at the beginning of a long, long summer of debate and soul-searching in the party looking for a credible figure to lead us in opposition and be Labour’s Prime Minister. After dozens of hustings, hundreds of [...]
- Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Topical Questions (24 Apr 2012)Edward Balls: The Chancellor has had a difficult few weeks since the Budget. To be told by his own side that he is an out-of-touch posh boy who does not know the price of milk must be particularly hard to take. I will ask him today not about the price of milk but-[Interruption.]
- Imf (23 Apr 2012)Edward Balls: In thanking the Chancellor for advance sight of his statement today, let me begin by setting out three propositions on which I believe all parts of the House can agree. First, the ongoing crisis in the euro area is a major threat to the stability of the European and global economies, including Britain’s. Secondly, the International Monetary Fund is a hugely respected organisation that...
- Diabetes Prevention (Soft Drinks): New Clause 1 — Value Added Tax: limitation on new orders (18 Apr 2012)Edward Balls: You’ve had too many pasties.
- Points of Order (18 Apr 2012)Edward Balls: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Before the Prime Minister leaves, I point out that he has just told the House in Prime Minister’s questions that the 50p rate did not raise any money, a claim that is flatly contradicted by both the documents published on Budget day and the Treasury’s own figures published on Monday. Could the Prime Minister correct the record before he leaves the...
- Finance (No. 4) Bill (16 Apr 2012)Edward Balls: I think I agree with hon. Gentleman on that point. As I understand it, he is saying that he agrees with the point made earlier in the year by-I believe-Standard & Poor’s, which said that austerity by itself does not work and can become self-defeating if it leads to higher unemployment, slower growth, and therefore to higher spending, fewer taxes, and therefore higher...
- Amendment of the Law (26 Mar 2012)Edward Balls: Will the Chief Secretary give way?
- Amendment of the Law (22 Mar 2012)Edward Balls: The HMRC report states that, in 2013-14, the static cost-that is, the cost to existing top rate taxpayers-will be £3 billion, rising to £3.35 billion, then £3.7 billion and £4.2 billion. It then states that that will be offset by a behavioural impact of £2.9 billion, £3.2 billion, £3.6 billion and £4 billion, which I think is heroic. The...
- Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Topical Questions (6 Mar 2012)Edward Balls: The Chancellor’s policy on child benefit seems to be that a two-earner family on £84,000 can keep all their child benefit, but a one-earner family on £43,000-whether that is a single parent, or where mum or dad stays at home to look after the kids-will lose all their child benefit, which is £2,500 if the family has three kids. What is fair about that? For the...
- Opposition Day — [Un-Allotted Day]: Living Standards (5 Mar 2012)Edward Balls: rose-
- Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: Financial Services Bill (6 Feb 2012)Edward Balls: Let me start by striking a rather different tone from that of the Chancellor’s performance in the House this afternoon by setting out where the Opposition agree with what he and the Government are trying to achieve and offering some constructive proposals to tackle the flaws in the legislation before us and help make it a better Bill. Financial stability and the effective regulation of...
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Morley Campaign Day 25Jan10(3 Feb 2010) -
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Helping to launch MP for a Week game - Jan 2010(3 Feb 2010) -
Launching free laptop & broadband scheme - Feb 2010(3 Feb 2010)
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Our local police officers at the House of Commons: “20% police cuts are criminal” (11 May 2012)
I met Sgt Andy Rogers and other members of our local policing team as part of their March and lobby of Parliament yesterday.
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My column in the Morley Observer & Advertiser (9 May 2012)
Congratulations to all the Councillors; Labour and Independent who were elected across our area last week.
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Sunday Politics interview with Andrew Neil (6 May 2012)
Andrew Neil: Ed Balls good to have you back so soon but we had the – Ed Balls: Well George Osborne’s come out, I suppose I should too. AN: Exactly and you’re not so much of a submarine, we see more of you. Now the Chancellor said on Andrew Marr this morning that the economy has [...]
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Local election results – transcript of BBC interview with David Dimbleby (4 May 2012)
David Dimbleby: How do you feel about these results that have come in? Ed Balls: They are good results but they show that we have got more to do, to be honest David. We’ve won councils across the south, the eastern region, Birmingham, done brilliantly in Wales. We’ve taken lots of gains. Congratulations to those new [...]
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News on Pinderfields & Pontefract A&E Departments (2 May 2012)
It is good news that Pontefract A&E is to re-open soon, but there is a lot more work that needs to be done to stop the long waits and cancelled operations at Pinderfields, that have been undermining care for my constituents. And I am also worried that the Government's NHS reforms are set to make things worse not better.
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Murnaghan interview on the recession, Jeremy Hunt and local elections (29 Apr 2012)
DERMOT MURNAGHAN: Well now, if you believe the polls, Labour are storming ahead of the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats but not on the economy. Labour’s two Eds cannot persuade the public that they could get us back on track more quickly than Dave and George so why not? Well let’s say a very good [...]
