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Ed Balls under police investigation over 'fail-to-stop collision' outside West Yorkshire offices Ed Balls under police investigation over 'fail-to-stop collision' outside West Yorkshire offices
(about 7 hours later)
The shadow chancellor Ed Balls faces a police investigation over a "fail-to-stop collision" after a crash involving his car was caught on CCTV. It was an open goal for his critics who have long enjoyed comparing Labour’s stewardship of the economy to the proverbial car crash.
West Yorkshire Police said they had launched a probe into the incident on Saturday 5 April, in which Mr Balls' cars was filmed hitting a black Peugeot 306 before driving off. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls was today forced to apologise after it emerged he had driven off after damaging another vehicle whilst exercising a tricky manoeuvre in his Morley constituency.
The MP for Morley and Outwood was trying to turn his car around in a road next to the Labour offices in West Yorkshire when he made contact with the parked vehicle. Mr Balls, who has a history of minor road traffic infringements including talking on a mobile phone whilst driving, said he had not been aware of pranging a black Peugeot 306 earlier this month insisting he believed he had merely “touched bumpers”.
Police then traced the car's licence plate to the Labour frontbencher, after the Peugeot's owner noticed damage the following day. As he prepared to spend the day arguing that Britain was in the grip of a cost of living crisis despite a rash of positive economic figures, the MP found much of the media focus was on his performance behind the wheel of a car rather than what he might do should he get the keys to Number 11 Downing Street.
In a statement, Mr Balls said he had since apologised to the other driver and insisted he did not realise any damage had been caused at the time. West Yorkshire Police confirmed that it was investigating the “fail to stop collision” on 5 April. Failing to stop at the scene of an accident carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison or a £5,000 fine and up to 10 penalty points.
He said: "Ten days ago, I turned our car round in a tight spot in the private drive beside the Labour rooms in Morley. The incident had been caught on CCTV and the registration traced as the family car used by Mr Balls and his wife, shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. 
"There was a stationary car parked close by. After news of the incident leaked to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Mr Balls issued a statement. “10 days ago, I turned our car round in a tight spot in the private drive beside the Labour rooms in Morley. There was a stationary car parked close by.
"The turn took five or seven points and I was aware that at one point the bumpers of the two cars touched. “The turn took five or seven points and I was aware that at one point the bumpers of the two cars touched. I park there all the time in what is a relatively narrow drive. But until I was contacted the following Wednesday, I had no awareness at all that there had been any damage to the other car.
"I park there all the time in what is a relatively narrow drive. “As soon as I was made aware of what had happened, I took full responsibility for any damage caused. I have written to the owner of the other car to say I was terribly sorry and to reimburse the owner concerned for the necessary repair.
"But until I was contacted the following Wednesday, I had no awareness at all that there had been any damage to the other car. “I have contacted our insurance company in the usual way.”
"As soon as I was made aware of what had happened, I took full responsibility for any damage caused. Unable to resist, Chancellor George Osborne's ministerial aide Rob Wilson wrote on Twitter: “Ed Balls has crashed the car again. Thankfully nobody hurt... rather unlike when he crashed our economy.”
"I have written to the owner of the other car to say I was terribly sorry and to reimburse the owner concerned for the necessary repair. Sergeant Adrian Wright, of West Yorkshire Police's Eastern Area Roads Policing Unit, said the owner of the vehicle had contacted officers the following day.” Damage was caused to the front offside wing of a parked black Peugeot 306. Inquiries are ongoing,” he said.
"I have contacted our insurance company in the usual way." During the 2010 election campaign Mr Balls was caught using a mobile phone whilst driving from London to his West Yorkshire constituency. He said he had taken the device off the hands-free cradle so as not to wake his children and was fined £60 and received three points on his licence. In June last year it emerged Mr Balls had been fined £350 and given another three points after pleading guilty to going through a red light in his car following a late-night Commons sitting. Two months earlier he had been caught doing 56mph in a 50mph motorway zone. He agreed to attend a speed awareness course rather than receive points.
Sergeant Adrian Wright, of West Yorkshire Police's Eastern Area Roads Policing Unit, said: "We received a report on Sunday 6 April of a fail to stop collision on Commercial Street, Morley, which is reported to have happened the day before on Saturday 5 April. Damage was caused to the front offside wing of a parked black Peugeot 306.
"Enquiries are ongoing."