Ed Balls is the Labour & Co-operative MP for Morley and Outwood and Shadow Chancellor.

He was previously MP for Normanton (2005-2010) and Labour's Shadow Home Secretary (2010-11), Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007-2010) and Economic Secretary to the Treasury (2006-2007).

Ed brought together schools and children's policy for the first time in the Children's Plan and pushed through radical and progressive policies including raising the education and training age to 18, reform of the social work profession, establishing the support staff negotiating body and extra investment in youth services and short breaks for disabled children and their families.

In opposition (1994-1997) and then as chief economic adviser to the Treasury (1997-2004) Ed worked on policies including independence of the Bank of England, the windfall tax and New Deal jobs programme, Sure Start, tax credits and the national minimum wage.

Ed is proud to be a member of Unite, Unison and the Co-operative Party. Born in Norwich in 1967, his family moved to Nottingham when Ed was 8. He attended Crossdale Drive primary school and then Nottingham High School. Ed went on to study at Keble College, Oxford, and the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard.

Ed has been a teaching fellow in the Department of Economics, Harvard (1989-90) and a columnist for the Financial Times, Guardian, New Statesman and Tribune. Ed is married to Yvette Cooper MP. They have three children - Ellie, Joe and Maddy - and live in Castleford. His interests include music, cooking and playing football with his children.