A fullish week for June: a big Commons debate on the strategic defence review, an ‘emergency’ budget, the first ever select committee elections and David Miliband’s desert island discs.
The most important thing in all of which was George Osborne’s demeanour. It was a political coming of age. An uncertain boy made man by the advantages of office. For the first time in his Parliamentary career, he knew what he was talking about. He had the facts at his fingertips; the fat ballast of her majesty’s treasury behind him.
Notwithstanding Siôn Simon’s sketch below, it was a commanding performance by Osborne. He and Cameron are growing by the week. Their new Lib Dem colleagues have more to learn, but they are so useful even if they do nothing that it doesn’t matter.
Only to the wishful and stupid did it need reinforcing, but the lesson of last week is clear: they are the masters now. Just like they used to be. Just like they were born to be.
It doesn’t have to be like this forever. We can beat them again as we have done before. But Labour will not get where we need to be by misunderstanding where we are.
Here are half a dozen of Uncut’s better-read pieces of the last week:
Dugher on the strategic defence review
Breakfast at the cinnamon club
Hodges reminds us that we’re not the story
David Miliband’s desert island discs
Tags: Dan Hodges, John McTernan, Michael Dugher, Osborne, Siôn Simon
