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For Labour’s benefit Osborne must stay. For the country’s benefit he must go

May 29, 2012 12:48 pm

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There are many times in politics when party political interests conflict with the national interest. The best politicians are able to bridge the gap between the two. The greatest learn that the national interest always comes first.

Such a dilemma is presented in the shape of George Osborne. In just a few short months he has gone from the economic emperor, to the naked emperor. Ed Balls in this somewhat stretched metaphor, is the little boy who rightly pointed out that Osborne was – economically speaking – walking around with his chap out.

Post budget, Osborne is hobbled. Osbornomics has been revealed to be based on the mathematics of the madhouse. Without growth, the deficit will never be closed. Perma-austerity beckons. Labour are now seem as more economically credible than the Tories, despite the fact that we oversaw a recession of epic proportions, and have barely begun to undo the reputational damage of those dark years.

If Osborne stays in No 11 and continues on his present course (his reverse gear it seems is reserved for patsy’s and caravans rather than growth and jobs) then he will be the gift that keeps on giving for Labour.

Quite apart from the economic omnishambles he has presided over, he’s one of the least likeable politicians around. Not for nothing did he employ a “submarine” media strategy – only surfacing when it suited him. Lurking beneath the waves to avoid detection. No hate figure he. Barely a public figure at all. A behind the scenes operator. A part-time Chancellor.

Now the submarine is sunk.

And yet, although Osborne’s continued stewardship of the economy would be good for Labour, the British economy could well be shattered after three more years of “Plan A”. And it’s those who Labour exists to represent who will be hit hardest as unemployment remains high, homelessness spikes and communities sink into disrepair and despair. You only have to look at our high streets to see the damage being wreaked – even in leafy Chipping Barnet my local high street is losing shops each week, which in turn are taken over by homeless squatters.

You can tell the Tories are back.

That’s why Labour should be hoping that Osborne is replaced. It’s demonstrably in the national interest to do so, as only a new chancellor will be able to implement the biggest and most important u-turn of all – on the economy. There are plenty of candidates – not least Ken Clarke and Vince Cable. Both are hobbled themselves by the brickbats that have been thrown at them in recent years. Both would be loathed by the Tory right. But both would cause a problem Labour too purely by dint of not being George Osborne.

If either were to replace Cameron’s closest confidante in No11, it would mean Labour’s road back to power would become that little bit steeper – but when have we ever done things the easy way?

But more importantly we might inherit a country that’s getting back on its feet again, rather than one feebly scrabbling around on it’s knees…

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  • postageincluded

    You’re assuming the replacement would be better. It’s unimaginable that Clarke or Cable would replace him, but what freedom of movement would they have, if the unimaginable happened? We’d almost certainly have just the same policy under a less ugly face (I speak metaphorically, mostly).

    It’s more likely some weasel, like Gove, would be moved in to carry on the “good work” but present it as otherwise. Either way, its all loss for Labour and no gain for the country.

  • Bill Lockhart

    What would Labour cut?

    • treborc1

      It would be interesting to know , it’s easy to put up a five point plan but put some meat onto labour cuts

    • Cuthulu

      We’ll probably all see soon…

  • John Dore

    Omnishambles yes, crap in parts yes,
    Osborne should go hmm what replaces him?

     

    “Osbornomics has
    been revealed to be based on the mathematics of the madhouse.” Has it? I
    disagree, as others have said Labour would be charting a similar course.

     

    The Tories are in
    an absolute tailspin because they can’t present a coherent strategy to the
    public. Pasties anyone? Labour have as yet
    not shown they have anything to offer. The 5 point plan is a crap
    marketing and has deservedly been well fisked. There is no coherent strategy from Labour
    either. We are in the world of managerial economics now.

     

    They have though
    kept the confidence in the markets and steered through very turbulent waters.  The hope is that whoever is at number 11, they
    do a good job for the sake of the country; if that is at the expense of Labour
    then so be it. This article is more a rant about your dislike of Osborne than
    anything else.

    • treborc1

       proof if needed Guy could not stay away

      • John Dore

        You remind me of a number of Harry Enfield / Paul Whitehouse characters, the one that fits best is the old gits.

        • AlanGiles

          There was also one called “Tory Boy”, if you remember “Mr Dore” – who, like you, I am sure would have used words like “feckless” three times in one post.
           
          And you admire Dan Hodges as well, as the fiddling Purnell , I see. I think it’s time you did a Bozier.
           
           
          * Roy Haynes (1925 -    )

          • John Dore

            All good guys, living in the real world, saying the things that many like to ignore an brush under the carpet. Luke though went to far.

          • AlanGiles

            On the contrary – I think he was more honest in admitting that he had lost interest in Labour, in as much as he was ever part of it, and went to the party where he was more at home.

            I always find it hard to see where very right-wing “labour” support ends and One Nation Toryism begins, TBH. You are certainly scathing about anyone you see as “left wing” – people like “Purple Booker” and “John Reid” on this site rather like yourself for example, – we are the enemy, not Duncan Smith or Grayling to them.

            Perhaps we shouldn’t be in the same party broad church or no.

            To be frank I always hope Purnell might one day have the courage of his convictions and do a Bozier (ditto Frank Field) then perhaps those “Labour” supporters who think they are narvelous will cross the floor with them.

            * Barney Kessel (1923-2004)

        • treborc1

          That’s OK I do not mind, but at least we sussed you out quick, mind you it was not to hard.

    • postageincluded

      Of course, tactical errors like the Pasty Tax and lowering the 50p rate don’t help. But really the Tories are in a tailspin because they’re afraid that their repeatedly stated “coherent strategy”  won’t deliver before the next election, dashing their hopes of an overall majority.

      • John Dore

        The Tory’s don’t really have a coherent strategy. Just a bunch of posh under experienced know it alls playing politics.

        • JC

          And the Labour party are different in what way? Public school, Oxbridge, wealthy. Which of them has run a business. In fact, which of them has worked for one?

    • Robin Thorpe

      The fact that the coalition has “kept the confidence in the markets” does not mean that they are governing in the national interest; just that they are governing in the interests of big business and financial organisations. They have maintained public confidence thus far only because a sizeable majority have a mortgage and so are happy to have low interest rates. But governance based on a policy of maintaining the status quo is not leading the nation into a new age of wealth and prosperity but a false dawn where the rich get richer and the poor, poorer. I am not convinced that growth is the right parameter for measuring the health and welfare of the people of our nation but that is the one that the coalition have chosen and they are failing their own targets. The 5 point plan, although not perfect, does change the emphasis from reducing the deficit and controlling the interest rates to reducing unemployment and tax breaks to those who are disproptionately affected by higher VAT.

      • John Dore

        I disagree with that and would say that’s
        a dangerous political viewpoint. If we lost confidence and rates moved it would
        destroy us. Moreover you show a lack of understanding, big business provides
        employment and financial institutions do not need low rates to make money. You
        say that “They have maintained public confidence thus far only because a
        sizeable majority have a mortgage and so are happy to have low interest rates.”
        And I say that’s calling the public thick. We can all see what’s going on the
        international stage. Every call is a balancing act between public opinion and doing
        what’s right. Every time the IMF comes a knocking I’m sure that Lord Osborne is
        thinking about the perception.

         

        Hodges calls out one of his twitter followers for saying “Shouldn’t
        Labour have a Five-Point Plan for Fiscal Responsibility” and he’s right. The
        policy at the moment is confused.

  • http://twitter.com/mistyblulabour dave stone

    “party political interests conflict with the national interest.”

    But as he destroys the domestic economy Osborne believes he is acting in the national interest – rather like the politicians who took us, at great expense and in the name of ‘national interest’, into unnecessary wars.

    To claim that the ‘national interest’ coincides with one’s own political views always, to me, appears to be an act of concealment, of either an inability to argue the case or of a much more malign purpose – to the prevent of discussion of alternatives.

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