In what I think will be regarded as a brilliant stroke by Chancellor George Osborne, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury - the man who actually has to implement the public expenditure cuts - is a LibDem, David Laws.
Here is what Matthew d'Ancona had to say about him:
'Mr Laws has the slightly stooped but twinkle-eyed countenance* of a mortician who likes to have fun at the weekend.'
He it is who will have to decide what is a 'front line service' (a phrase which seems to have been accepted without challenge during this election but which to my mind is indefinable and therefore meaningless) and is ring-fenced and what is not and therefore cuttable.
What about.... no, thought not.
This is the toughest job in the government and I wish him well.
*this use of 'countenance' to mean demeanour rather than facial expression is archaic, but we can forgive d'Ancona because he is a fellow of All Souls.
No comments:
Post a Comment