Ed Balls kicked over 'Plan B' economy (06Jun11)

Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls-up gets a metaphoric kick in the goolies from Paxman. Ed Balls is sinking with his whole desire of a "Plan B" for the economy.

After 13 years of Labour, we've all experienced the "Plan B" - B for bankrupt.

Recorded from BBC Newsnight, 06 June 2011.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ed
• balls
• labour
• shadow
• chancellor
• kick
• kicking
• plan
• economy
• economics
• uk
• recession
• public
• sector
• cuts
• deficit
• reduction
• borrow
• borrowing
• spending
• out
• of
• control

[Ignitionnet]

Sorry, less than 4% over 4 years is the fastest cuts in the world? If Balls can actually stop lying and stop playing political pitbull, talking his usual nonsense for purely and nakedly political purposes he may actually start getting some credibility back.

He isn't an economist, he has the usual bog standard PPE degree from Oxford that seems to be required, and he is a nasty, vindictive statist goit.

[gazz12345a]

This is the man who arrogantly shouted "So what!!!!" when an opponent remarked about his government running up the countries debts to record levels. Everything is just a game to him, he couldn't care less about anything other than winning the next election - the man is a piece of shit.

[carlberg34]

Ed Balls is an idiot. Creator of the debt we are living with now. The man is nothing but a Communist.

[BasilFawlty4444]

As someone who generally supports the left, this guy makes me want to cup my head in my hands and weep.

The Labour leadership is so abysmal, it seems almost amateur. I hate this Tory government with a vengance, but there is just no serious alternative. If they're not careful, there will be a Conservative majority in 2015, considering that the Lib Dems will be massacred.

They should oppose cuts on sound grounds and put together a coherent plan to make the economy GROW so that we can avoid cuts.

[TheDogonebad]

This guy shouldn't even be allowed in Parliament, never mind be given a ministerial post.

[kkwillsaveus]

@knucmo Unemployment was lower when Blair left office due to several matters, none to his credit, one was that he inherited a great economy, with unemployment falling rapidly, the other is due to a bloated public sector and lastly due to an asset bubble. The low levels of unemployment when Blair left office is linked to the mess we are currently in. Cameron is ensuring we don't get bailed out by the IMF, who will cut far further and ensure far more people are unemployed.

[knucmo]

@kkwillsaveus PFI: The main principles of PFI will remain intact under the Tories - infrastructure will be run by private sector companies to retain the ludicrous idea of private sector 'innovation' and the misconception that PFI contracts finish on time and don't go over-budget. Even worse, PFI, under the Tories will be excluded from government debt figures, and this trickery is necessary for Osborne to be able to meet his claim that the gov't debt to GDP ratio will fall by 2015/16.

[knucmo]

@kkwillsaveus During Thatcher's years, unemployment as a % of the labour force rose from 5% when Thatcher took charge to 12% by 1984. It did drop back to 7% when Major took charge in November 1990 (still higher than when Callaghan left it - 5%). Again under Major it peaked to nearly 11% by mid 1992, dropping back off again to a level just under 7%. Under Blair, it actually dropped, and when he finished it was at 5.5%. Under Brown it did go up, but Cameron is doing nothing to change that.

[kkwillsaveus]

@knucmo A rise in unemployment with Heath and under Cameron. Unemployment has been higher at the end of every Labour Government than at the start. PFI's cost us £100 billion off the books under Labour. Black Wednesday cost the UK taxpayer £3.5 billion, we're now losing £50 billion a year and rising on Labour's debt interest. Oh and Black Wednesday led to the most prosperous period of our economic history, and to LAbour inheriting the best economy since before WW1.

[knucmo]

@kkwillsaveus Is this the same Conservative party who are 'cleaning up the mess' left by Labour by continuing to use wasteful Public Finance Initiatives to build schools and infrastructure? The same party that oversaw a massive rise in unemployment under Ted Heath, and now under David Cameron? The same party that spent billions of pounds in a pathetic attempt to prop up a sinking pound, on the day known as 'Black Wednesday'? Surely not!

[historypoliticsbb]

Ed Balls. Bilderberg Group attendee. That's all one needs to know.