Speaking Out: Lessons in Life and Politics

On the night of 7 May 2015, Ed Balls thought there was a chance he would wake up the next morning as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer. Instead, he woke up without a job.

For two decades he had occupied a central position within Labour, rising from adviser to Cabinet Minister during the years in power, and Shadow Chancellor in Opposition. Throughout one of the most tumultuous periods in recent British history, he made a point of speaking out, whatever the consequences. But on that May morning he was silenced.

Speaking Out is a record of a life in politics, but also much more. It is about how power can be used for good, and the lessons to be learned when things go wrong. It is about the mechanics of Westminster, and of Government. It is about facing up to your fears and misgivings, and tackling your limitations – on stages public and private.

It is about the mistakes made, change delivered and personalities encountered over the course of two decades at the frontline of British politics. It is a unique window into a rarely seen world. Most importantly, it explains what politics is about, and why it matters.

Ed Balls is a former MP, Cabinet Minister and Treasury Chief Economic Adviser. He is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center, Visiting Professor to the Policy Institute at King's College London, and Chairman of Norwich City FC. He is also a dad, cook, pianist and economist.