Labour hopeful visits Colchester, Sudbury and Ipswich

FORMER Education Secretary Ed Balls is visiting Ipswich, Colchester and Sudbury today to speak to party activists in Suffolk as he bids to become leader.

Mr Balls, a key confidant of Gordon Brown, is one of five candidates battling to take over from Mr Brown who resigned after Labour was defeated at the General Election in May.

Mr Balls is expected in Colchester at 1pm and is to due to address a Labour Party rally in Ipswich at 5.30pm this afternoon.

The others are David Miliband, his brother Ed, Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott.