Paralympics: watching George Osborne squirm
As
the chancellor is booed at the Paralympics he squirms, smirks and
slumps, clueless in the face of such disdain
Is
it possible to feel
sorry for George Osborne?
As the chancellor tries to maintain his composure or find an
appropriate response to the massed boos of an audience in the
Paralympics stadium, this video makes him look vulnerable.
Oh,
sod pity. Let's watch him squirm. I always thought that phrase, to
watch someone squirm, was hyperbolic and meaningless, but in the
first few seconds of his appearance in the stadium to take part in a
medals ceremony, Osborne really does squirm, his face appearing to
slither and morph as it searches for some invisible hiding place as
he attempts the impossible – to look cool while he is being aurally
pilloried by an audience of his fellow citizens in a moment he knows
is being caught
on television.
Osborne
starts off looking serious and dignified, yes that's the word,
dignified – like a politician handing out a medal. Simple job, no
pressure, just look dignified. Then the boos start – and he breaks
into a schoolboy grin, as if he is trying to be in on the joke. Let's
play that moment back. I remember attempting that grin myself to a
bully on the school playground.
Read
more :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/04/paralympics-george-osborne-booed?newsfeed=true
David Cameron's right turn in cabinet reshuffle
The
prime minister shifted his government firmly to the right in a
substantial government reshuffle that left Nick Clegg weakened
David
Cameron shifted
the political gravity of his government firmly to the right in a
substantial government reshuffle that left Nick
Clegg weakened
and raised the prospect of a series of fresh coalition disputes over
crime, the environment and business-friendly policies.
In
the only serious setback for Cameron and his closest ally George
Osborne, Iain
Duncan Smith insisted
on staying at work and pensions secretary, so raising the prospect of
a battle as the Treasury demands a second round of big welfare cuts
next year to bring the deficit-reduction programme back under
control.
Heavy-handed
Treasury briefing on Monday night prompted Duncan Smith to reject the
offer of succeeding Kenneth Clarke as justice secretary.
Read more :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/04/david-cameron-government-reshuffle-cabinet
A. Cuvelier
