A divided and sloppy labour party, but the embarrassing bandwagonesque behaviour of the Tories doesn't bode well for the next govt in power. How come Osborne et al haven't been hounding Nulab over this 10% tax thing for the year since it was announced? And where would their £7bn come from to make up the shortfall? Pathetic. The LibDems made an issue of it but then got caught up in their own problems. At least they noticed.
Expect Labour to lose plenty of seats to Tories and LibDems this year but, when push comes to shove, the opposition are SO weak (to quote Balls, according to Balls) in terms of policy and SO changeable according to mood that they'll struggle to gain a huge majority. They will probably need LibDem backing, and I expect that will concern some voters in the run up.
I know plenty of people who comment here think the whole country is desperate to get rid of this govt. but that simply isn't the case.

Ezra Mayo, Oxford,

Didn't the Labour party do its sums back in 2007 when this measure was introduced in Gordon Brown's last budget? The fact that it is only when the polls began to sound the alarm that the present clutch of dissenters crawled out of the undergrowth. The Labour party of old would have moved heaven and earth to strangle this assault on the low paid and pensioners at birth.

figurewizard, Petersfield, UK

I see that today Brown has announced that he plans to stick to his job, I suppose Harpic will be in order then to remove that stubborn Brown from the rim of public office.

Andrew Wakeling, London, uk

The critics are working flat out for victory by trying to remove Gordon Brown. And it would help Labour if Ed and Yvette Cooper disappeared as well.

Robert, Luton,

We are getting a lot of balls lately.The fixed smile and now the attempt to scramble a little further up the greasy pole on the misfortunes of his mentor ( sorry I read the intention as well as the words ) is classic.
I don't think I like him.
Again, read not his policy pronouncements for they will change with the wind. Labour grew 10 years of Government on personality and spin, so thats what I judge them on.

robert everittt, wolverhampton,

What Ed Balls forgets to mention is the electorate has had enough of the Labour Government and it is now time to move on.

Geoffrey Fish, Pontefract, Uk

To mis-quote the Lord Desai " Ed Balls only exists to make Mr Brown look human"

Colin MacMillan, Redditch, Worcs

If, according to Pop Eye Balls, mishandling the economy,division and losing touch with the electorate is a recipe for losing elections both he,Brown and the rest of this miserable excuse for government should congratulate themselves in creating a self fulfilling prophecy.I think we will all heave a sigh of relief when this disastrous experiment in
stalinist top down social engineering is consigned to the rubbish bin of history together with its brain dead adherents.

philip, Ipswich,

That's 3 boxes ticked then.

Mike, West Midlands, UK

Never before in my +50years of observing the political scene as a non-political party affiliate have I sensed a greater desire to be rid of such a dire administration. I do so hope that this editorial is right, that we are then released from this torment sooner rather than later and that there is no phoenix-like apparition waiting in the wings to draw us down even further as a nation, as communities and as individuals.

Terry, Chichester, UK

Labour SHOULD lose badly at the local elections.
Because:
1. They deserve to.
2. It will make them realise, for sure, how the British public feel about them.
Hopefully this will make listen to us and pull their socks up before the general election.
I say this so that we, Britain’s, can get the benefit, not for them to get credit.
I am a socialist but will not vote for labour locally, and because Blair, Brown and all the cronies have done so much social damage, will never trust them again.
I feel like a husband whose partner has had dozen of affairs and enough is enough, it is time for a divorce.

Bob, Warrington, Cheshire

Ed Balls is a commissar politician who, had he been at Stalingrad, would have cheerfully shot his own troops for wavering. The fate awaiting him, however, is that of the American officers in Vietnam who were shot in the back by their men. Everyone can see this, except Mr Balls, who suffers from the same personality flaws as his guide and mentor, Mr Brown.

John Price, London, England