Only children get half-term, but there is always a big song and dance about MPs using recess to spend time in their constituency. Picking one MP at random, Guido decided to see if that was really the case…

Just because Parliament is in recess does not mean the Shadow Chancellor is not needed. With Mervyn King offering his latest pearls of wisdom this morning, you would have expected Balls to be very vocal today. He’s certainly not tweeting. Guido rang Ed’s mobile to no avail, though it did have a UK ringtone. He tried his Westminster office too:

“I’m afraid he’s in his constituency today.” 

Which is odd given the comical message on his constituency office voicemail:

“I’m afraid today, the 15th February, there will be no one available to take your call.”

One Labour source put it bluntly when Guido asked if Balls was about: “everyone’s on holiday”. The other Ed is apparently “working from home” this morning. 

UPDATE: Despite his office being shut, Ed Balls just popped up on the television from Leeds. In other news Peter Hain is in South Africa.