Doesn’t the Chancellor have better things to do in Tokyo?

I’ve always liked ConHome editor Tim Montgomerie – and not just because he’s more of a pain in the backside of the Prime Minister than I could ever hope to be. Evidently the chancellor feels likewise, because whilst out in the Far East, he met Tim for dinner.

Does Osborne really have nothing better to do when out of the country on government business than meet the editor of ConHome? Like representing British interests abroad?

Or is he just so keen to get one over on Boris in the future leader stakes that he’ll take any opportunity to woo grassroots champion Montgomerie, even if it’s on the other side of the world…?