A nanosecond is easily measured in Westminster as the time between a politician’s hearing of a colleague’s impending resignation and wondering ‘What’s in it for me?’ It takes perhaps a full second to construct a theory as to why the unfortunate soul had it coming and probably deserved it. It takes about a minute to draw up a shortlist of potential successors, and half an hour to start some gentle plotting. Sympathy comes last, if at all.
So for the few hours when George Osborne’s future was in doubt last week, the corridors and the urinals of Westminster were abuzz with versions of his political obituary. If he went, one shadow cabinet member told me, it would be not so much for his sins on board a Corfu yacht, but for his failure to take the fight to Gordon Brown on the economy or supply the party with a message. Names like William Hague and even Kenneth Clarke were mentioned as older, more experienced successors.
It is hard to exaggerate the dismay that gripped the party as it was outmanoeuvred by a Prime Minister who, only a few weeks ago, had been written off as political dead meat. As one Conservative privy councillor told me: ‘Things have come to a pretty pass when Alex Salmond is able to make a more coherent and pointed critique of the government than anyone on [our] front bench.’ And while Mr Osborne survived, he emerged a humbled man. So the challenge he faces now is not just to cut down on the time he spends on oligarchs’ super-yachts, but to rethink his whole strategy and operation.
As if being shadow chancellor were not enough of a job in the current climate, Mr Osborne has two other huge roles in the Cameron team.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in