Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls has been named vice-president of Action for Stammering Children (ASC), a charity which supports children and young people who stammer.

Balls, who has been an active fundraiser for the charity for many years, commented 'I was thrilled to be asked to become a vice-president of ASC, a brilliant charity which I have been involved with for many years. It's important that children and young people who stammer see people in public life who have managed to overcome their stammer, so that they know it doesn't have to hold you back or stop you doing the things you want to do'.