Ed Balls

Our fourth Harvard-Kings paper on regional growth - a decidedly mixed stocktake of progress over the last two years, plus what the new Prime Minister needs to do to revive the growth agenda - is out today. Dan has done a great thread with a link to the paper at the top:

@edballs @andyburnham @DanTurnerTweets @annastansbury @ElsdenEsme Read it here in @cssjournal1 in a blockbuster special issue on levelling up: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

A superb paper

Two years ago Labour promised a “devolution revolution” to drive growth. Today, with @edballs, Nyasha Weinberg, @annastansbury and @ElsdenEsme, we publish our verdict: a government at risk of squandering the best opportunity in a generation. A🧵 hks.harvard.edu/centers/mrcbg/…

The last two years have been a missed opportunity on regional growth: our Harvard-Kings paper sets out why; and what @andyburnham needs to do differently to deliver the growth the UK needs.. @DanTurnerTweets @annastansbury @ElsdenEsme Nyasha Weinberg instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/andy-b…

"If he's elected as a bin, he can speak as a bin." Can Count Binface beat Farage in Clacton? Ed Balls and George Osborne believe the anti-Reform sentiment and success of previous joke candidates mean he could be in with a chance… 🎧 LISTEN: tr.ee/pc 🖥️WATCH: tr.ee/PC_TV

Two years after Labour's 2024 pledge for a "devolution revolution," questions remain about whether bold ambitions for regional growth and economic rebalancing are being delivered, or are risks being missed. As Andy Burnham puts the North and regional development at the heart of his leadership bid, can the UK finally close the gap? Explore our assessment and future recommendations in our latest working paper co-authored by M-RCBG Research Fellow @EdBalls. hks.harvard.edu/centers/mrcbg/…

🎙️ NEW episode of Political Currency… 🌹 The Labour insiders worried about Burnham 🗑️ Could Binface beat Farage? 🧰 Gove endorses Rayner for chancellor 🎧 LISTEN NOW: tr.ee/pc

Discussing it last night

“It will utterly fail.” As speculation grows that Andy Burnham could be planning to split up the Treasury, Ed Balls advises him that is not the right way to drive devolution and growth. 🎧 LISTEN: tr.ee/pc 🖥️WATCH: tr.ee/PC_TV

Play is firmly back on the political agenda! A great question on today’s episode of @PolCurrency's EMQs put the issue exactly where it needs to be: Why has England not had a National Play Strategy since 2008, and is it time to bring one back? @EdBalls and @George_Osborne discussed England’s first and only National Play Strategy, launched in 2008 by @EdBalls and @AndyBurnham. They also referenced the work of @TomHayesBmouth MP, Chair of the @APPGonPlay, who has been leading the parliamentary call for a new National Play Strategy, alongside @PlayEngland. The 2008 strategy was backed by £235 million and set out a serious national commitment to children’s play, including better play spaces, adventure playgrounds, stronger planning policy, playwork, inclusion, and children’s everyday freedom to play. It was then abandoned in 2010. playengland.org.uk/newsblog/seven… Eighteen years later, the case for action is stronger than ever. That is why @PlayEngland is calling for: • a new National Play Strategy • underpinned by play sufficiency legislation • backed by £125 million per year - that's just 20p per child, per week! playengland.org.uk/strategy This is not nostalgia. It is unfinished public policy. The work started in 2008. It's time to bring it back - and give children their childhood back. #ItAllStartsWithPlay #BringItBackAndy

Immense

Two nil !!!!! @GMB

Brilliant game. So tense. 2-1 England at HT. Bellingham and Pickford immense

“It was classic Keir Starmer.” Ed and George break down the significant issues in the long awaited Defence Investment Plan, and how they sum up the issues with the entire Starmer premiership. 🎧 LISTEN: tr.ee/pc 🖥️WATCH: tr.ee/PC_TV

🎙️ NEW episode of Political Currency… ⚠️ Burnham’s big challenges 🐝 Can No. 10 North work? 🇺🇸 How Burnham can deal with Trump 🎧 LISTEN NOW: tr.ee/pc

🇬🇧📊 We will be launching the fourth paper in our series on UK regional inequality at Kings on July 8: evaluating the govt’s record two years in. Sign up below Authors: @DanTurnerTweets & Nyasha Weinberg & @ElsdenEsme & @edballs

@LobbyXI @polcurrency @AndyBurnhamGM @George_Osborne @Rob_Merrick But ‘age-adjusted’ we won 5-4

@polcurrency @AndyBurnhamGM Are we getting the reunion of Ed and Andy up front for our game in September...? 🔥 Guess you ran out of room to mention that we won that game at Loftus Road 4-1 - we're happy to provide you with b-roll for your next social clips on it 😉

“He puts the ball in the back of the net.” On this week’s episode, Ed Balls and George Osborne reveal their personal insights about @AndyBurnhamGM - as a colleague and a football teammate ⚽️ 🎧 LISTEN: tr.ee/pc 🖥️WATCH: tr.ee/PC_TV

🔥 Our newest hot take is now on all your podcast feeds… 👋🏻 Starmer’s resignation 🏁 Will Burnham face a contest? ✅ What the next PM MUST do 🎧 LISTEN NOW: tr.ee/hottake