Odd Couples




The last Labour Government was badly undermined by the strange and dysfunctional relationship between Tony Blair and his chancellor Gordon Brown or the TB-GBs as it became known 

John Rentoul writing in The Independent suggest that history might be repeating itself if the Labour Party wins the 2015 general election although even if this were to happen, there's no way that Ed Miliband and Ed Balls would have the support of an overall majority of MPs in the House of Commons.

So any re-run of the TB-GBs is likely to be played out on much more difficult, indeed downright shaky, political ground.   

Election catch-up: Miliband and Balls, the dysfunctional relationship at the heart of a likely Labour government

Plus your essential politics briefing from over the weekend


By JOHN RENTOUL - The Independent

1. Intriguing interviews with the Labour leader and his shadow chancellor over the weekend. Ed Miliband spoke to The Observer and “showered praise on” (journalese for “was polite about”) Ed Balls. Balls spoke to the Mail on Sunday and showered praise on Miliband. 

Miliband all but guaranteed Balls the job of Chancellor if there should be a Labour government. “He’s incredibly well qualified for the job.” I personally put that down as one more reason for voting Labour.

Balls was not so immediately complimentary. Did he accept that the best man won the leadership election five years ago, the Mail on Sunday asked?

“Well, I thought I was the best which is why I stood.”

Wrong answer. The Mail on Sunday tried again. Did he accept Ed Miliband was the best man to lead Labour?

“Look, I think he’s our leader and he’s the best leader we’ve got.”

Wrong answer again, with a bit of historical resonance. A third attempt. Invited to list Miliband’s qualities, Balls managed: “Long-term strategic purpose, impressive resilience, sees the best in people, values people who speak their mind. Strong people like strong people around them.”

The last three items on that list referring rather obviously to someone other than Miliband.

Both interviews were responding, I suspect, to the front-page lead story in The Times on Saturday (pay wall), which paraphrased Charles Falconer, who is advising Miliband on the transition to government as saying: “Mr Miliband wants strengthen the Downing Street machine as he seeks to assert his authority over Whitehall and the Treasury in particular.”

I am told that senior civil servants who worked with both Miliband and Balls in the last government fear that it would be “nightmare” to maintain working relations between them.

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