Baby Peter case: Shoesmith payout 'leaves bad taste' Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has said a six-figure payout to the ex-head of Haringey children's services "leaves a bad taste in the mouth." Sharon Shoesmith won a ruling in 2011 that she was unfairly sacked after a damning report into the death of Baby Peter Connelly. Mr Balls said his decision in 2008 as children's secretary to remove Ms Shoesmith from her job had been right and he would "do it again."