Balls counts the cost as receipt claim is shredded

Ed Balls said demanding a written record of small cash payments was the 'sensible thing for anybody'
Ed Balls said demanding a written record of small cash payments was the 'sensible thing for anybody'
STEFAN ROUSSEAU/PA

Ed Balls’ claim that families should follow his example and seek receipts for every low-cost job was unravelling last night as Labour admitted that he had not always done so.

Even Ed Miliband declined to back Mr Balls as a senior aide confirmed that there “would have been occasions” on which the shadow chancellor did not collect a receipt.

The party’s front-bench team also distanced themselves from remarks that invited scrutiny of their individual tax affairs.

Labour was left claiming that Mr Balls’ contention that the “right thing to do” was to get a receipt “if you are having somebody cut your hedge for a tenner” applied only to his “special position” as shadow chancellor, and not even to their candidate for prime minister.

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