Fraser Nelson: Balls is a crypto-Soviet, I am a crypto-McCarthyite ...

Fraser Nelson, Spectator editor and arch-Thatcherite, takes issue with what seems a perfectly reasonable - you might even say innocuous - statement by Ed Balls in his Sunday Times interview today:

“I think our family policy now is actually about the strength of the adult relationships and that is important for the progress of the children.”

What is Fraser actually objecting to in this statement? We don't really find out, as he immediately goes off on a tangent, parroting the Tory line about promoting marriage and ending welfare depedency - oh, and of course, Balls is a crypto-Soviet "lefty":

"Does Balls have any idea about the extent of which the welfare state under Labour has robbed the low-income family of its economic function, about how adults are no longer better off together, and incentivised to split up with all the effects that has on the children? But it gets better: children are to be given lessons in the importance of relationships from 2011. More resources may be given to marriage guidance services. It’s like Balls is mentally living in 1975 Moscow. Family problems? Why, the Party will simply ask the schools to simply program the kids to be better at relationships."

Is it just me, or do relationship lessons in school sound like a reasonable, moderate, interesting idea? We have already have Relate for grown-ups. Why not start earlier? Certainly, as evidence of Balls' Brezhnev-style statism, it is pretty weak.

So why are the Tories - and the Right - apparently so scared of Balls, if his politics are so old-fashioned? Are they worried his policies might actually be popular?

Sounds like McCarthyite paranoia to me. And if Fraser Nelson wants to talk about jobs ...

Unemployment under Thatcher peaked at 3.5m. That's 3.5m families "robbed of their economic function". And the Centre for Economic Policy Research estimates that unemployment in the 1930s peaked at 15% in 1932.

In this recession, at least the Government is trying to do something about it. The UK unemployment rate was 7.9% in the last quarter. Wild predictions of 3m or even 4m unemployed now - touch wood - seem wide of the mark.

This is because of Government action like the Young Britain campaign - a pledge to create 85,000 jobs for the young - more apprenticeships and university places.

Balls may be stuck in the 1970s ... Nelson - who would apparently do nothing but tinker with marriage rules - is stuck in the 1930s, 15% unemployment and all.

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?

Bob Ainsworth: consummate media performer

Let no-one say that Gordon is scratching around for Cabinet ministers. Bob Ainsworth, for example, has been on course for promotion ever since this stellar performance on Newsnight.

Over-60s stand firm for Brown

Crazy 48 hours, huh?

Here's a useful tally of those ministers who have resigned, come out for GB, stayed silent since Purnell's resignation last night

***BBC has just reported Hoon has stepped down, as I write***

Not sure how much more of this the Govt can cope with. But with the reshuffle largely complete, GB may be secure, for now. Well, until Monday, if the James Purnell/Phil Collins strategy is vindicated.

Most of the Labour voters I spoke to on the doorstep were none too impressed with the scheming against Brown. Granted, most were women over 60 (94 in one case). But I think they may have a point in their wariness of doing something so impulsive and risky. Things may look bad now, but perhaps a bit of faith is what's required.

***MORE BAD NEWS: Tories take control of Derbyshire County Council***

***MORE BAD NEWS: Tories take control of Lancashire County Council***

Jowell leads Austin a merry dance

The BBC News website on the fraught Erith and Thamesmead selection:

'Jowell makes apology to fellow MP

Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has apologised to a fellow Labour MP for not saying she was to visit his seat, the scene of a party selection battle.

She did not inform John Austin, the retiring MP for Erith and Thamesmead, she would attend a meeting organised by one candidate seeking to succeed him.

Complaints that non-local candidates are being favoured have caused ructions during the south-east London contest.

A hustings was called off after allegations of ballet box tampering.'

Perhaps a Strictly-style dance-off is the only logical way forward.