‘Would you like to replace Ed Balls?’ The question Alistair Darling won’t answer

Ed Balls is a good street fighter, but not a very loveable one. The polls suggest he is perhaps the least popular figure in frontline politics. His manner too abrasive and his political bloodlust too obvious. As James Forsyth says in this week’s View from 22 Spectator podcast (below), Balls is — at best — Miliband’s 3rd choice for the position of Shadow Chancellor. His first was Alan Johnson and Yvette Cooper (aka Mrs Balls) was asked before it fell to Balls.

A triumphant Alistair Darling, fresh from a 2014 Scottish referendum victory, may well be more palatable to the public. It’s unlikely that Balls would move over for Darling – although he may not have the choice. We know that Darling loathes Balls (which admittedly, in the Shadow Cabinet, is not saying much). But does he actually want the job? He was asked on BBC1 Sunday Politics today. Here’s the transcript:

Andrew Neil: Given the manifest failure of government economic policy so far why does the public still think that Messrs Cameron and Osborne are better at the economy than Messrs Miliband and Balls?

Alistair Darling: Well look, we, if we’re going to win the next election, we have to convince people that we have a credible and compelling alternative to the government.