Alex Massie Alex Massie

Who Will Rid Cameron of His Part-Time Chancellor?

I commend Fraser’s most recent post on our part-time Chancellor of the Exchequer. But even my flabber was gasted (or my gast flabbered) by this paragraph:

Being Chancellor in a recession is a very tough job. Osborne’s predecessors are amazed at the time he has to spend politicking across departments. I’m told that he is heading the campaign to defeat Salmond in a Scottish referendum, taking on yet another job to add to his other one of chief strategist.

Emphasis added. There is no reason to doubt Fraser’s information and assuming, as I do, he is correct one must wonder if Mr Osborne finds being Chancellor of the Exchequer – during a double-dip recession no less – too boring a job for a man of his restless mind and infinite political wisdom?

What’s more and though I do not doubt that Mr Osborne would enjoy wrestling with Alex Salmond (what a thought!) I am minded to ask if he has ever been to Scotland except on government or party-political business? Perhaps he has but if so he shows little sign of it.

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