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Labour legend Ed Balls puts shadow Cabinet Minister Jon Ashworth through his paces ahead of the London Marathon.

The former Shadow Chancellor turned dancing sensation is backing Mr Ashworth’s bid to raise at least £2,000 for the National Association for Children of Alcoholics charity by running the race .

Mr Balls has run the Marathon, the world’s biggest fundraising event, three times.

Mr Ashworth, the shadow Health Secretary, recently spoke in the Commons of being brought up by his alcoholic dad.

His speech moved Health minister Nicola Blackwood to tears as he opened with the words: “I am the child of an alcoholic.”

(Image: Philip Coburn/Daily Mirror)

Speaking in a Parliamentary debate on alcohol harm, he said his parents divorced because of the strain his father’s drinking had placed on the marriage.

“Throughout my life, I was an only child, in the week I would live with my mum and at the weekends I would live with my dad and my dad would spend the whole weekend drunk.

“From the age of eight or so going to my dad’s meant I was effectively the carer.

(Image: Philip Coburn/Daily Mirror)

“It was very typical for my dad to pick me up from school and literally fall over because he was so drunk,” he told MPs.

Mr Ashworth said he remembered having to go to a phone box to call a taxi to take them home because his dad was too drunk to walk the short distance up the street.