Early Life
Balls' father is the zoologist Michael Balls, criticised for campaigning against the grammar school system in Norfolk, then sending his son to fee-paying schools. His mother is Carolyn Janet Balls (born Riseborough). Balls was born in Norwich and educated at Bawburgh Primary School in Norwich, Crossdale Drive Primary School in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, and then the private all-boys Nottingham High School, where he played the violin. He went on to attend Keble College, Oxford, where he gained a First in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (graduating ahead of David Cameron). Later he attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, where he was a Kennedy Scholar specialising in Economics.
Balls joined the Labour Party when he was 16 years old. While at Oxford he was a partially active member of the Labour Club, but also signed up to the Conservative Association, "because they used to book top-flight political speakers, and only members were allowed to attend their lectures" according to friends. Whilst at Oxford Balls dressed as a Nazi at a "dictators" party. He was also a founding member of the all-male drinking club, The Steamers.
Read more about this topic: Ed Balls
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