THIS year's Adam Smith Lecture will feature one of the Labour Party's most charismatic figures, in former Government Minister Ed Balls.

Ed will be on stage at the Adam Smith Theatre on Friday March 17.

Ed Balls became Economic Secretary to the Treasury, a junior ministerial position at HM Treasury, in the Cabinet reshuffle of May 2006. While Economic Secretary, he was commissioned by the G7 finance ministers to prepare a report on economic aspects of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister on June 27 2007, he was promoted to Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

After the Labour General Election defeat in 2010 he became Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer under Ed Milliband's leadership.

He lost his seat at the 2015 General Election but remained a figure the media tracked and even found himself invited to take part in the 'Strictly' Saturday night show.

He will be introduced by his old colleague and former MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Gordon Brown on the 17th.