Labour's Ed Balls: 'We won't do deal with UKIP'
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has rejected the prospect of a deal between Labour and UKIP, even if the party fails to secure a majority.
And he insisted that the £50 billion price tag for the controversial high speed rail line HS2 must come down, hinting his support for the scheme could be withdrawn if the costs rose by another £2 billion.
In an exclusive interview with the Express & Star, Mr Balls threw out the idea of offering a referendum on Europe in exchange for backing from any UKIP MPs who may win seats next year.
After knocking on doors in Hednesford to talk to residents, Mr Balls said Nigel Farage's offer of support to a minority Labour government next year was a non-starter after the UKIP leader told the E&S he would be open to negotiations.
He said: "What they offer is not policies that will help people around here. When it comes to Europe, people don't think the status quo is working. They want change and reform. But most people know that walking away from the biggest single market on our doorstep would be cutting off your nose to spite your face."
"We guarantee we will have an in out referendum if there's any proposal to transfer power to Brussels. We're not going to have it come what may."
Last year he said there was no 'blank cheque' on HS2, which is being opposed by Staffordshire County Council. Two new stations are being planned for Birmingham.
Mr Balls said: "I want the budget to come down, not to increase. The government had lost control of the costs of HS2. This is unfinished business. The legal process will take another two or three years and you need the Treasury to be vigilant. There's no blank cheque. I'm not going to say come what may, we'll go ahead with HS2. But I do think the capacity pressures between Birmingham and London are very serious.
"We support HS2 but it means the costs have to come down, not up."
Asked how much he would want to see the cost reduce Mr Balls said: "A year ago the Government said the costs had gone up by £8 billion. If they've gone up £8bn already, I'm not going to say another £2bn is fine. I want to see them come down again.
"The reason we've got to be careful is the hybrid bill is fraught with complexities because it's not something the Government can simply say 'here, no further'. I don't want to put figures on it."
