Balls: I haven't had a date in a decade

Labour power couple Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper have not been on a date for a decade, the shadow chancellor has revealed.

Mr Balls insisted their 14-year marriage is “stronger” because they shun romantic dinners in favour of spending time with their three children and friends.

In an interview with the Huffington Post UK, Mr Balls also hit back at claims he briefs against colleagues to journalists, insisting “I’ve never been a bitch.”

Asked whether he and the shadow home secretary go out on their own, he replied: “Certainly not for a decade.”

When asked if the pair considered having date nights like Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, he said: “And leave the children with the nanny?”

“I think it’s (the marriage) much stronger as a result because we do lots of stuff together. Our view is that the times when we’re off work, we want to be with the children. It’s the sacrifice you make … we don’t go out and see our friends without each other. Friday night with the boys? That isn’t how we do it.”

Mr Balls has been dogged by claims he practised the “dark arts” in government by giving negative briefings to the press about colleagues he clashed with.

He said: “I’ve never been a bitch. That bitchy approach is the most second-rate way to do your politics.

Accusing me of doing briefings to journalists about my colleagues is so naïve.

“There has never been a long run of journalists who have ever come out and said this. If a journalist ever says to me, ’Did you brief against colleagues?’, I have to say, ’Have I ever done that to you?’. I’ve asked Andrew Marr, Andrew Neil.

“Did some of that go on in the Blair years? Of course it would have done. Was I part of it? No. Was I directing it? No. It’s a weak and snake-like way to do politics.”