Ed Balls is back: Former Labour shadow chancellor heads to Harvard to research global financial stability
The former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who famously lost his job as an MP in one of the most spectacular defeats in the shock-filled General Election, has finally resurfaced.
Balls hasn't had to stand in the dole queue for too long, bouncing back by lining up a stint at one of the world's top universities.
He's heading across the pond to Harvard's Kennedy School, where he'll be researching global financial stability as a senior fellow for the upcoming academic year – although it's an unpaid position.
“Ed brings enormous depth and breadth of experience in the public sector and we’re confident he will make a valuable contribution to our students, to the center, and to Harvard more generally,” said the school's dean John Haigh.
Will his departure leave a Balls-shaped hole here in the UK? There's already one person who, rather surprisingly, is missing him in parliament
It's only been 5 weeks since Ed Balls was ousted from Parliament but George Osborne is already missing his old foe: https://t.co/mJ7H75mbaV
— Matt Dathan (@matt_dathan) June 16, 2015
"I never thought I'd say 'bring back Ed Balls" said George Osborne at PMQs, responding to Labour's new shadow chancellor Chris Leslie.
Here's some choice reaction from the Twitterati to Balls' latest move.
Hi @Harvard, congrats on hiring @edballs
He's going to need 28 April off every year if that's ok #EdBallsDay
— General Boles (@GeneralBoles) June 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/johndavidgusman/status/611435634050400256
Balls isn't the first ousted politician to retreat to the US. David Miliband headed west after losing his bid to become Labour leader to his brother Ed.
Meanwhile, his other half Yvette Cooper is busy battling for the Labour leadership.