Balls is known as an attack dog in Westminster

Tories ‘fear Balls the most’

Tories ‘fear Balls the most’

By politics.co.uk staff

Ed Balls is the Labour front bencher most feared by members of the Conservative party, a survey has confirmed.

A survey of party members by website ConservativeHome found that Mr Balls was the considered by far the most impressive Labour figure by his opponents.

Some 26.3% of members said he was the most impressive Labour front bencher, followed by his wife, shadow foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, with 13.1%.

Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham, whose star has risen significantly since the Labour leadership race, came third with 10.6%.

Douglas Alexander, John Denham, Harriet Harman and Hilary Benn all fared well, but party leader Ed Miliband only came in eighth place, with just 4.1%.

Mr Balls was recently installed as shadow chancellor after Alan Johnson stepped down following revelations about his private life.