Edward Michael Balls is a former British politician, anchorperson, writer, and economist who worked as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2011 to 2015. Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper, a cabinet husband-and-wife combo, have been accused of abusing Commons spending rules to buy a £655K property and enroll their children in a prestigious state school.

The couple, both of whom were backed by Gordon Brown, have registered their four-bedroom North London property as a second home under legislative regulations, allowing them to get up to £44K in annual allowances to help pay off their £438K mortgage. They also have a ‘weekend’ house in Yorkshire that they used to call home.