Wednesday 21 July 2010

How George got Nick into trouble at PMQs

Watching PMQ's live, I was among several people who were very struck by the animated advice which George Osborne seemed to be giving Nick Clegg between Jack Straw's questions. Such collegiality may be good for Cleggeron Coalition cohesion, but I was less sure it would do so much for LibDem morale. Shamik Das at Left Foot Forward immediately blogged on how Clegg seemed to be "taking his cues" from Osborne, rather unkindly going so far as to mention monkeys and organ grinders.

Now Hadleigh Roberts has gone back to the tape and spotted something rather remarkable. Go and watch the clips.

After animatedly whispering in Nick Clegg's ear between answers, you can read George Osborne's lips as Clegg taunts Straw.

For there is Osborne chanting along in real time with the line he appears to have scripted for Nick - "the most disastrous decision of all, the illegal invasion of Iraq" - before going on to point gloatingly at Jack Straw in that inimitable style.

You can take the boy out of the Bullingdon ...

Osborne, who used to help William Hague with PMQs, clearly misses that role.

But today's stunt will do little for Osborne's unfortunate reputation for political opportunism.

Poor Nick may have just been agreeing with George - yet George thinks quite the opposite and has always been among the staunchest defenders of the Iraq war in both public and private.

Unless, it seems, there's a political point to be scored.

Please don't forget that the Deputy PM was not speaking for the Government when taking PMQs.

Perhaps Downing Street should now add the Chancellor to its Unpersons list.

2 comments:

Billy Blofeld said...

I am deaf and can lip read. Osborne actually said this:

"Jack Straw is a slippery twat. Just tease him about his lisping, it sends the him apoplectic"

Unknown said...

oh dear what a pointless blog which has been reduced to lip reading to create content