While Balls lounges on a beach somewhere, his old department have lost their appeal against his unfair dismissal of the ghastly Sharon Shoesmith over the Baby Peter failures at Haringey Council. As the Guardian leader said back in May: “If Mr Balls had still been in office, yesterday’s ruling should have forced his resignation.” Even more so today.

Thanks to the fact he did not go through the proper process in sacking Shoesmith, the disgraced council worker is now in line for a one million pound pay off. No wonder she is always grinning. It’s small fry when you add it to what else Balls has cost the taxpayer, but an humiliating blow none the less.