Labour’s economic team is fronting an energetic campaign – but where’s George Osborne?

By Alex Smith

The first week of campaigning is coming to an end, and I thought it worthwhile to have a look at the key movers and shakers so far – and those notable largely for their absence.

Despite the bitter Tory attempts to go after Gordon Brown as a liability to Labour’s re-election, the PM has been at the very spearhead of Labour’s first week of campaigning. He travelled straight from Downing Street to meet commuters and shoppers on Tuesday, answered questions from the public in a special event on Wednesday and yesterday said his major preparation for the TV debates, starting next week, would be in “going round the country, listening“. He then headed to a great televised discussion based on his TED talk, placing Labour’s economic action in the context of the global recession and recovery.

Brown is confident, and revelling in his roll in his first general election campaign as Labour leader.

Contrast that with George Osborne, who Labour have identified as the Tories’ weakest link, and it seems the Conservatives are deliberately keeping him out of the view of the public. Although he is not the Tory leader, if this is the economy election, and Osborne wants to be chancellor after the election, he should be more visible than he is. His performance at the Chancellors’ debate last week was notably something to get through, rather than build on, and he has been conspicuous by his absence on the campaign trail ever since.

This was the Tories’ big, potential game-changing week, with a new focus on National Insurance, but for Osborne, there have been no ties off, no sleeves rolled up; he’s just been kept largely out of sight.

Since last Sunday’s revelations that Chris Grayling thought it right that B and Bs should have the right to refuse to put up gay couples – and the Tory slump in popularity amongst the gay community as a result – he, too, has been noticeable by his silence. David Miliband, on Question Time on Wednesday, said Grayling is “completely unfit” to be Home Secretary. The Tories are clearly cautious about his credibility, and therefore his campaign role, too.

As Douglas Alexander tweeted, Michael Caine has been as visible as the shadow chancellor and shadow home secretary this week. For some Tory commentators, who understand Osborne’s perceived weakness, that will be welcome.

And as well as being capable leaders of the economy and the campaign themselves, Brown and Darling come backed by a strong, experienced team, as highlighted in the election announcement speech on Tuesday when the cabinet gathered in solidarity and purpose. As the new OECD figures showed this week, Labour have got nothing to fear and nothing to hide in talking about Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling’s action on the economy over the last eighteen months – and it’s good that the strategists are keen to prove it.