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| General Election 2015: What is 6 times 7? Ed Balls takes 10 seconds to come up with the answer | General Election 2015: What is 6 times 7? Ed Balls takes 10 seconds to come up with the answer |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The man hoping to take over the nation's finances took TEN seconds to answer this simple question: what is 6 times 7? | The man hoping to take over the nation's finances took TEN seconds to answer this simple question: what is 6 times 7? |
| Ed Balls was stunned into a rare period of silence as a journalist asked him the question this morning, when he was momentarily distracted from his unveiling of Labour's latest poster - this time accusing the Tories of planning a secret tax cut for millionaires. | Ed Balls was stunned into a rare period of silence as a journalist asked him the question this morning, when he was momentarily distracted from his unveiling of Labour's latest poster - this time accusing the Tories of planning a secret tax cut for millionaires. |
| But at least he gave an answer, unlike the current Chancellor George Osborne. When a seven-year-old schoolboy asked Mr Osborne what 7 times 8 was last summer, he refused to answer, using excuse worse than 'my dog ate my homework' response: "I've made it a rule in life not to answer a whole load of maths questions." | But at least he gave an answer, unlike the current Chancellor George Osborne. When a seven-year-old schoolboy asked Mr Osborne what 7 times 8 was last summer, he refused to answer, using excuse worse than 'my dog ate my homework' response: "I've made it a rule in life not to answer a whole load of maths questions." |
| To be fair to him, the maths question thrown at him was slightly tougher than Ed Balls' challenge. | To be fair to him, the maths question thrown at him was slightly tougher than Ed Balls' challenge. |
| Mr Balls was unveiling Labour's latest attack-ad today. The poster claims voters are worse off by £1,100 each due to tax and benefit changes introduced under the Coalition. “Millions paying more while millionaires pay less," the poster proclaims, on a backdrop of Number 11 Downing Street. | Mr Balls was unveiling Labour's latest attack-ad today. The poster claims voters are worse off by £1,100 each due to tax and benefit changes introduced under the Coalition. “Millions paying more while millionaires pay less," the poster proclaims, on a backdrop of Number 11 Downing Street. |
| Ed Balls uses his fingers to work out the answer in Leeds this morning The Shadow Chancellor also accused the Tories of having a “secret plan” to raise VAT by 2p, claiming it was the only way the Conservatives could fund pledges to deliver £7 billion worth of tax cuts after the election. | Ed Balls uses his fingers to work out the answer in Leeds this morning The Shadow Chancellor also accused the Tories of having a “secret plan” to raise VAT by 2p, claiming it was the only way the Conservatives could fund pledges to deliver £7 billion worth of tax cuts after the election. |
| Labour's new poster, unveiled by Ed Balls this morning | Labour's new poster, unveiled by Ed Balls this morning |
| David Cameron hit back on Twitter, highlighting the Government's decision to increase in the basic rate income tax threshold that comes into affect today, as well as radical pension reforms that gives those over the age of 55 the power to spend their pension pots as they wish. | David Cameron hit back on Twitter, highlighting the Government's decision to increase in the basic rate income tax threshold that comes into affect today, as well as radical pension reforms that gives those over the age of 55 the power to spend their pension pots as they wish. |
| From today, you can earn £10,600 before paying any #incometax - and we'll keep on cutting taxes to reward hard work. pic.twitter.com/evIJis8fpG | From today, you can earn £10,600 before paying any #incometax - and we'll keep on cutting taxes to reward hard work. pic.twitter.com/evIJis8fpG |