The Spectator is unhappy at Osborne's performance recently: "I’m at a loss," writes David Blackburn. "How can a government that will raise the national debt to £1.4 trillion be trusted to run the economy? The Daily Politics/Com Res poll shows that Labour is more trusted on the economy than the Tories; it indicts George Osborne’s political performance."
Shadow puppet, George Osborne
"As Fraser noted, Osborne blew an unprecedented opportunity on yesterday's Today programme. The danger inherent in a £1.4 trillion national debt is not a difficult argument to make. Tax hikes, inflation and soaring interest rates will be the progeny of Brown’s continued borrowing binge. Yet Osborne confined his attack to valid but esoteric points about credit ratings and a list of acronyms. Ken Clarke would not have made such an elementary political mistake. This has nothing to do with Osborne’s youth or alleged naïveté – Osborne’s broad case about the nation’s finances would be unanswerable if he stated it clearly. When he was clear, the Tories led by 18 points."
"Osborne deserves credit for David Cameron’s leadership election, for averting the Election That Never Was, for re-branding the Tory party and his response to the 2008 pre-budget report. Against those are the Corfu scandal, which displayed staggering bad judgement, and his currently opaque economic message, which enables Brown to choose his ground. Osborne’s political instincts are mercurial. Yet he is the Tories' campaign manager, whilst Labour’s is Mandelson."
"Osborne deserves credit for David Cameron’s leadership election, for averting the Election That Never Was, for re-branding the Tory party and his response to the 2008 pre-budget report. Against those are the Corfu scandal, which displayed staggering bad judgement, and his currently opaque economic message, which enables Brown to choose his ground. Osborne’s political instincts are mercurial. Yet he is the Tories' campaign manager, whilst Labour’s is Mandelson."
