Balls is just stating the obvious

Paul Waugh and Theo Blackwell have been discussing Ed Balls' article in the latest, Ken Livingston-edited New Statesman. In it, Balls says:

We did not always strike this balance right: in public service reform, we sometimes sounded as though private sector solutions were always more efficient.

Is this really a leadership pitch to the left, as they're saying? It sounds more like the stating of the obvious to me, especially post-crash.

The Blair government came in with what seemed like a mania to privatise left, right and centre, which has now (Royal Mail aside), thankfully eased. It seemed like some sort of virility test to impress Middle England, even though it was obvious to some of us that mainstream voters weren't that supportive of privatisation after all.

One possible source of regret is surely the disastrous PPP for London Underground. Balls's mentor, GB, was so determined it should happen he rushed it through to make the contracts signed and irreversible before Livingstone power over the the running of tube by being elected Mayor of London in 2000.

Is this some sort of coded apology to Ken?