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    Balls branded 'a bit of a bully'
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    In a letter to Sheerman, Balls said: "It is for these reasons that I have decided to appoint Maggie Atkinson to be the next children's commissioner for England and I am delighted that she has accepted that appointment. I look forward to her taking up office on 1 March 2010." His decision has been supported by children's charities, who said the judgment of the MPs "beggared belief". Full Article at Guardian Unlimited
    It is for these reasons that I have decided to appoint Maggie Atkinson to be the next children's commissioner for England and I am delighted that she has accepted that appointment. I look forward to her taking up office on 1 March 2010.
    Ed Balls – Ed Balls SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited 1 month ago
All quotes from:
Balls branded 'a bit of a bully'
  1. The irony is, she was the most fiercely independent of all the candidates. The panel agreed she was the best person for the job.
    SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited 1 month ago
  2. We thought that someone who was keener on the campaigning role, someone who was feistier in standing up to the secretary of state [was needed]
    SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited 1 month ago
  3. Maggie Atkinson is a very competent woman but we just didn't think she had the independence of mind to stand up to a secretary of state who likes to get his own way
    – Barry Sheerman SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited 1 month ago
  4. He is more of an executive man, rather than a parliamentary man, and I think it is a bad day for parliamentary democracy when – if we are having these pre-appointment hearings – the very first one to say it didn't agree with the appointment gets overridden.
    SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited 1 month ago

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