ED BALLS faces a backlash from furious MPs, trade union reps and party activists after revealing that harsh benefit cuts would be part of his first budget.

Rebellion brewed yesterday after Mr Balls told Labour conference on Monday that he would freeze child benefit for two years if he becomes chancellor in May.

He insisted Labour “must not flinch from tough decisions” in order to bring down the deficit.

But Oldham West MP and former minister Michael Meacher labelled Mr Balls a “disaster” for the party’s general election chances.

“I’ve come to conference for the best part of 40 years and I cannot remember a speech more negative, more counter-productive, more of an indefensible turn-off than Ed Balls’s speech,” he said. “I really do think it was disgraceful.”

Speaking at the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy  conference review on Tuesday evening, Mr Meacher said that Labour was unpopular on the doorstep for promising more cuts — not more public spending.

“They don’t trust us precisely for the things (Mr Balls) says. It’s not only wildly unpopular but it doesn’t make any economic sense,” blasted Mr Meacher.

“I still think we’re on target to win but I think the economy is a disaster and Ed Balls is a disaster.”

Heywood and Middleton by-election candidate Liz McInnes has reportedly already faced anger about the child benefit cut from voters on the campaign trail, raising fears that it could jeopardise her chances of seeing off a strong Ukip challenge in

two weeks’ time.

Plans to raise the retirement age, means-test winter fuel allowance and keep the benefits cap also incensed union activists.

Martin Mayer, a Unite rep on Labour’s NEC, said that Mr Balls’s speech had rocked confidence in the party.

“The whole process of democratic policy making was thrown into complete scandalous reverse by Ed Balls’s speech,” he said.

“None of that was open to democratic debtate. None of that was consulted with the party members or the trade unions.”

A letter protesting against Mr Balls’s speech and calling for the reversal of the cuts is being prepared for every Constituency Labour party.

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