Alan Johnson out, Ed Balls in

Naffa · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:10

BBC News said:
Alan Johnson 'to quit frontline politics'

Shadow chancellor Alan Johnson is resigning from Labour leader Ed Miliband's frontbench team, citing "personal issues".

He is replaced by Ed Balls, previously the shadow home secretary. Mr Balls' wife, Yvette Cooper, takes over the home affairs brief.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12242397

I would have preferred it if Yvette were made shadow chancellor, but there's no question that Ed is an extremely credible economist, regardless of whether you like his politics or not. I'm glad that Alan Johnson has gone though, I still am in a state of utter disbelief that he was ever made shadow chancellor at all. I have a feeling that this could be another Blair/Brown-esque relationship in the making, though.

dante6491 · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:15

Balls and Milliband are quite different in their economic views which might makes things more interesting. Similarly Osborne and Balls are polar opposites in terms of their experience and stance on the economy which will make their confrontations interesting.

meghatronic · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:16

Not surprised at all. Johnson was stupid. I'm still waiting for Red Ed to still 'stick by him'. Fools.

scorza · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:16

Interesting, I thought it would either be Johnson or Ed who resigned since they started publicly disagreeing. Kinda surprised it was Johnson though, Ed must have more support in the PLP than the media are suggesting. In a way, it's a shame that they couldn't get on - I' think as politicians go Alan Johnson is the best of a bad bunch.

meghatronic · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:17

scorza said:
I' think as politicians go Alan Johnson is the best of a bad bunch.

unwashed potato! · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:19

ed's johnson is out and balls are in! :eek:

dante6491 · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:19

Can see the headline:

Labours economic plan creates new job vacancies!

Naffa · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:21

Mammalian said:
ed's johnson is out and balls are in!

I deliberately worded the title to try and avoid something like that.

Josh107 · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:22

... clicked on this thinking it was some kind of peep show reference, not boring political stuff!

lookitsjonno · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:23

thread fails, i thought this was about some sort of gang bang

Biohazard · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:24

Balls in?

More like a Balls 'up'!

Either which way who cares - no one will ever listen to a labour chancellor (shadow or not) again.

JamesU2005 · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:30

Biohazard said:
Balls in?

More like a Balls 'up'!

Either which way who cares - no one will ever listen to a labour chancellor (shadow or not) again.

Or the current Casper the Unfriendly Ghost Chancellor.

Cosimo · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:33

"Red Ed gives Balls the thumbs up" is tomorrows Sun headline.

doofer · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:35

Johnson out, Balls in. Ooer Matron.

Judgeneo · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:40

4 years away from a general election, and were talking about Labour?

Thread fails OP, thread fails.

Naffa · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:50

BBC News said:
"Party leader Ed Miliband says appointment of Alan Johnson had not been a mistake, after the shadow chancellor resigns."

LOL

Von Smallhausen · 20 Jan 2011 at 17:52

Alan Johnson was one of the few politicians that came across as an ok guy.

I can barely tolerate Ed Balls.

RDM · 20 Jan 2011 at 18:02

Wasn't Balls Brown's economic advisor/assistant etc while he was Chancellor? When they upped the deficit during boom years and sold gold at an all time low?

meghatronic · 20 Jan 2011 at 18:09

Von Smallhausen said:
Alan Johnson was one of the few politicians that came across as an ok guy.

People keep saying that, but offer little support.

How are you defining okay?

He seemed like a 'normal' person to me, here I mean normal as average - certainly not someone I'd expect to be a (Shadow) Minister. He bumbled and came across as a Northern oaf (these two words aren't related) with poor handling of numbers.

Fr0dders · 20 Jan 2011 at 18:16

Oh balls

*ta dum*