Ed Balls says he would not have served in a Corbyn shadow cabinet
The former shadow chancellor says too many people around Jeremy Corbyn do not think winning power is important.
Tuesday 11 October 2016 07:51, UK
Ed Balls has said there is no way he would have served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet because they have been on the opposite side of the argument for a long time.
He said there were too many people around the Labour leader for whom getting into power was not the most important thing.
And the former shadow cancellor added that while it was possible to turn the Labour Party around, it would take a long time.
In an interview with Sky News Senior Political Correspondent Beth Rigby, Mr Balls said: "I have been on the other side of the argument from Jeremy Corbyn for a very long time.
"I couldn't have served in the shadow cabinet.
"I don't believe in leaving the EU or getting rid of our nuclear weapons. I don't believe in nationalising industry. I am not an anti-business person.
"I do believe in being fair and just and tackling inequality, but I don't believe you can do that unless you are in power and I think too many people around Jeremy Corbyn feel that getting into power is not the most important thing."
Mr Balls' wife, former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, made it clear she would not remain on the frontbench when Mr Corbyn was first elected leader.
But Mr Balls also cautioned against a Labour split.
He said it would be "terrible" for people to walk away from the party and urged them to stay to "try to turn it around".
However, he admitted it would take a long time and while Labour was in disarray it was "bad for the country".
Mr Balls said Mr Corbyn's controversial reshuffle appointment of Nick Brown as chief whip was a good move.
But he admitted he had been unhappy that Rosie Winterton had been pushed out of the position - her departure .
Mr Brown was Chief Whip under Gordon Brown but was asked to step down by Ed Miliband when he was leader.
Mr Corbyn on Monday sent a letter to MPs ahead of the Parliamentary Labour Party calling for unity, to which he attached a "current frontbench list" adding that he would be "continuing to make appointments".
He told MPs: "I hope as Parliament comes back, we can all pledge to work together and to move forward as the united team our Party has every right to expect, and that our country so desperately needs."