Silly George - Keep Your Distance Next Time

George Osborne MP has evidently been playing games and has now been cast out of his club for it. The fact that he keeps the same company as corruption media magnet Mandelson only adds to his worries. Rather than trying to score points there he should be distancing himself greatly from anyone occupying the centre of that particular Venn diagram.

And all this when donations to the Conservative Party are barely needed. £50,000 is not a sum to get in trouble over. £5 million, maybe. They are rolling in it while Labour harbours a debt. Quite frankly, I shudder in fear of the idea of the Party in power being in debt: that can only encourage shady shenanigans. So there is no need to draw attention to the issue which is killing off trust, what little remains of it, in British politics.

Front benchers need to steer well clear of such discussions. Close the conversation before it starts, leave the room, it doesn't matter how it ends but it must end sharpish. If the discussion comes up, best thing to do is hush their lips, hand over the party fundraiser's business card and say how delightful the wine is to change topic.

What this episode teaches us is that Osborne has poor judgement when it comes to his rich chums. Its not particularly fun to think of when it comes to the mixing of our politicians and the obscenely rich but they need each other so it should be expected. He needs to address that quickly if he ever hopes to become Chancellor of the Exchequer.