The upper reaches of the Coalition
Bob Russell has just stitched up his own side by tabling an urgent Commons question to the Chancellor about the state of the spending review (fascinating that the Speaker allowed it; there have been quite a few, is this a trend?). It was an embarrassing moment for George Osborne, who had to account for himself before MPs this afternoon.
But what made it particularly difficult was the simple fact that Mr Russell is a Lib Dem MP, so poor George had to refer to the guy as “My hon friend”, even though his friend had just kebabed him. The Chancellor had to sit there while Mr Russell berated him for not making a statement to the Commons last week and for running an “immature turf war” with IDS on welfare. His main criticism was aimed at welfare policy and what was being cooked up between Mr Osborne and Iain Duncan Smith (maybe he read my post yesterday?)
The Chancellor managed to show more courtesy than Mr Russell, making the point that that “it is impossible to conduct a spending review without looking at the welfare bill”, and praising his good relationship with IDS and his Cabinet colleague’s “inspirational plans” for welfare reform. But privately he must be seething. It’s bad enough for the Chancellor to be forced to come to the Commons to answer awkward questions, but when they come from your own side, it’s unbearable. That he showed such good grace and equanimity is remarkable.
Unless, of course, it’s all part of the plan. After all, when Vince Cable stuck his oar in about the appointment of Bob Diamond to run Barclays, we didn’t hear a peep from Mr Osborne. Or when he appeared to pre-judge the outcome of the Ball Valve inquiry into tuition fees. Imagine the mayhem if another Cabinet minister had waded onto Gordon Brown’s turf. I know that in the upper reaches of the Coalition there is surprise that is now shading into concern about the easy ride the Lib Dems are given when it comes to their habit of challenging Coalition policy-making.
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