Labour cannot go into GE2015 with Balls still shadow chancellor
Chris Leslie – Shadow Treasury Secretary pic.twitter.com/r5BkbT7KXm
— PolPics (@PolPics) December 5, 2013
Could shadow treasury sec Chris Leslie be the answer?
For me the striking feature of today’s autumn statement was how poorly Ed Balls performed. Yes he had to face a massive barrage of noise from the other side but his really poor communication skills were shown up. He’s just far too agressive and talks to fast.
I know he’s got a stammer but he’s appalling diction – even worse than Osborne.
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Quite simply Balls has not got what it takes to give Labour credibility on the economy in the run-up to GE2015. The look on EdM’s face while the other Ed was speaking said it all. The leader, surely, is mulling this one over.
Osborne must be aboslutely delighted that Balls is his opponent. Balls is a reminder from the past – a period which, as the polling shows, still counts as a big negative against Labour.
So who could be the replacement? Yvette Cooper (Mrs Balls) is an obvious name as are Rachel Reeves and Alistair Darling.
But what about Chris Leslie. He’s done okay in the round of interivews today and coped well with Andrew Neil when clearly he didn’t have an answer to a key question. Most of all listening to him is easy on the ears.
Leslie does not appear to be on any of the betting lists for next chancellor. Maybe he should appear.