Mr Balls and Mrs Balls squabble over who's got the biggest 'mea culpa'

I hate to see a lovely married couple falling out with each other.  Take that nice Mr and Mrs Balls, or Mr and Mrs Cooper, as they sometimes prefer to be called, or she does, at any rate.  Such a handsome couple, him with his shy smile that switches on and off almost as though he had a switch and his little blinky eyes trying to look so earnest; and her, with her sweet, dimpled smile that somehow never quite makes it to her blue eys, they really are such a lovely couple.

Yvette Cooper and Ed Balls Photo: Heathcliff O'Malley

So it's awful really seeing them trying to outdo each other in taking the blame for past mistakes.  He keeps saying sorry, over and over again, "I'm sorry for that mistake, I deeply, deeply regret it", and you know he means it because he keeps blinking hard, to keep the tears of contrition back, I expect.  On the other hand, she bravely stares into the camera and hides her pain (er, she is in pain, isn't she?) behind an absolutely straight face and just comes out with it, "We did get things wrong on immigration.  We should have had transitional controls on migration from Eastern Europe." 

There you are, you see, such an honest, straightforward couple, an example to us all.  Of course, it's taken a while for them to say it, in fact, up until now they've been saying exactly the opposite, but still, one must not be churlish with them in the face of their honesty, even if it is years too late and we're all suffering because of their criminal stupidity errors of judgment.  Even so, whilst we can forgive them now that doesn't mean we should be in any sort of rush to put them back in jobs where they might make the same mistake again.  I'm sure they wouldn't want that, either.  Would they?

Comments

[A K Haart]

Yet people voted for them. We bring it on ourselves - or at least some of us do.

[David Duff]

Well, be fair, AK, they only 'flipped' their houses three times!

[Whyaxye]

I'm always surprised when I hear him speaking. (As on the radio this morning). A light, boyish and engaging tone. Totally at odds with his appearance, as he always looks like a grumpy sod. Growing up with his surname, I guess he had to appear like a hard case from a distance, yet be ready to switch to self-deprecating humour once challenged by bigger boys. A short step from saying "Yes, my name really is a load of bollox, ha, ha!" to admitting "Yes, we royally screwed the country".

[David Duff]

Yes, I can see that his name must have been a burden, and I don't object to him being a poisonous toad if only he would direct his venom for the good of the country instead of his own advancement. Also, it has to be noted for the file that he is the perfect example of a man who is very 'clever' but also completely stupid. Odd how the word 'clever' is not quite praise in the English language. I bet the French love it, though!