John McTernan must surely be nearing peak McPangloss in The Scotsman this morning…

“…today, no-one has ever doubted Ed Balls’s brilliance. What no-one could anticipate was quite how brilliantly he would grow into his role.”

Guido likes McTernan, he has a dry wit, with a certain concentrated menace that lurks in his soul, eager to be released. His new self-appointed role as a panglossian Labour media cheerleader just doesn’t suit him. He just goes over the top and humiliates himself.

For example, just before the European elections he told nervous Labour loyalists to relax, they were going to win the Euros. UKIP convincingly won the Euros…

Claiming no one doubts Ed Balls’s brilliance and events have proved Balls right is just silly. Half the shadow cabinet have their doubts, Ed Miliband did not even want to give the job to Balls – giving it at first to Alan Johnson. Most importantly and in direct contradiction to McTernan’s central thesis, as the economy recovers sceptical voters doubt even more the supposed wisdom of Ed Balls and have increasing confidence in George Osborne:

Go back to attack, McPangloss, it is what you do, cheerleading just doesn’t suit you…