Politicsuk newsChuka UmunnaEd Balls

Ed Balls On Newsnight And 6 Other Times Politicians Awkwardly Forgot People's Names

Ed Balls' Memory Lapse Reminds Us Of These 6 Times Politicians Forgot Names
Asa Bennett
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Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls (R) and shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna attend an address to parliamentarians by the President of Singapore Tony Tan in the Queen's Robing Room in the Palace of Westminster, central London October 21, 2014. The President of Singapore Tony Tan and his wife Mary Chee started a four day state visit to Britain on Tuesday. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor (BRITAIN - Tags: POLITICS)
LUKE MACGREGOR/WPA Rota

Ed Balls ended up derailing Labour's fightback against business critics after he agonisingly failed to name one of the party's biggest business supporters live on TV.

Ed Balls tries to remember who "Bill" is on Newsnight (from 5.53 minutes in)

In the confusion about "well, erm, Bill", Balls admitted that the name of this "big supporter" had "just gone from my head".

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Balls is not alone to suffer an awkward memory lapse on air, as many other politicians - including Labour leader Ed Miliband - have awkwardly forgot people's names when it mattered. Here are just six moments.

6 times politicians forgot things
George Bush can't remember 'the general'(01 of01)
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Asked in 1999 if he could name General Musharraf, who seized control of Pakistan that year, Bush said: ''The new Pakistani general, he's just been elected - not elected, this guy took over office. It appears this guy is going to bring stability to the country and I think that's good news for the subcontinent.'' (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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