Top job hope for Shadow Schools Secretary who confounded critics

Despite finishing third, behind both Miliband brothers, Mr Balls is widely credited with landing serious blows on the coalition over schools and the economy, and convinced many members to re-think their views of a man who had been seen as divisive given his closeness to Gordon Brown.

In his victory speech, Ed Miliband told him: "Ed, your campaign has been a testimony to your abilities, your intelligence and strength. Every Tory Minister is quaking in their boots at the prospect of Ed Balls shadowing them given what you've done to (Education Secretary] Michael Gove."

Saturday's result will be seen as a success for Mr Balls, the Morley and Outwood MP who was targeted by the Tories at the general election. Once the Miliband brothers made it a two-horse race, some had predicted he would finish bottom, but he saw off Diane Abbott and Andy Burnham before being knocked out.

During the campaign, he was praised for coming up with some of the clearest policy proposals - such as building 100,000 affordable homes - and left Mr Gove reeling after the Minister's bungled announcement of which school rebuilding projects were being cancelled.

Shadow Housing Minister John Healey, the Wentworth MP, backed Mr Balls and said: "There was never any negative briefing, he saved his strongest criticism for the Conservatives in parliament and that's an energy and strength that were so reflected in the results that were better for him than many thought."