Clarke backs Osborne
Ken Clarke has publicly supported George Osborne as Shadow Chancellor and disavowed those who have been suggesting that David Cameron appoint him instead.
In an interview in the Daily Mail, Ken suggested that his name was being used in a dirty tricks campaign against the Shadow Chancellor which was designed to undermine the party leadership. He said that Mr Osborne was being "targeted in a personalised political campaign" and added: "I think my name is being used as part of this attempt to undermine George."
Mr Clarke warned:
"I think for David Cameron to replace George Osborne with me or anyone else would be a serious political mistake. The impression it would give of self doubt, division and sudden loss of confidence in what we have been saying would be catastrophic. It would be a triumph for opponents of the Conservative Party."
Mr Clarke backed Mr Osborne's dramatic warning at weekend that soaring borrowing could trigger a run on Sterling. He accused Mr Brown of putting the economy at risk with his plan to borrow billions to pay for a tax giveaway next week worth up to £20billion. He described the crisis as "the worst in my lifetime" and said:
"It's going to be a very deep recession and a persistent one. We don't know when the recovery will start and we don't know how strong it will be."
Mr Clarke added: "We could be back in a situation where the timing and issuing of vast quantities of bonds is very difficult. That would drive up long-term interest rates for everyone. In that situation the prospects for recovery are badly damaged"
Contrary to Labour suggestions that George Osborne should not have commented on the risk to the pound as this broke some alleged convention, Ken Clarke also denied that there has ever been a convention banning politicians from commenting on the health of the Pound.
Ken has got the line right - he recognises who is putting the economy at risk, who the Conservative party should be criticising, and that is Gordon Brown. The small minority within the Conservative party which has been launching "friendly fire" at the shadow chancellor should follow Ken's example and shift their guns to the proper target.
In an interview in the Daily Mail, Ken suggested that his name was being used in a dirty tricks campaign against the Shadow Chancellor which was designed to undermine the party leadership. He said that Mr Osborne was being "targeted in a personalised political campaign" and added: "I think my name is being used as part of this attempt to undermine George."
Mr Clarke warned:
"I think for David Cameron to replace George Osborne with me or anyone else would be a serious political mistake. The impression it would give of self doubt, division and sudden loss of confidence in what we have been saying would be catastrophic. It would be a triumph for opponents of the Conservative Party."
Mr Clarke backed Mr Osborne's dramatic warning at weekend that soaring borrowing could trigger a run on Sterling. He accused Mr Brown of putting the economy at risk with his plan to borrow billions to pay for a tax giveaway next week worth up to £20billion. He described the crisis as "the worst in my lifetime" and said:
"It's going to be a very deep recession and a persistent one. We don't know when the recovery will start and we don't know how strong it will be."
Mr Clarke added: "We could be back in a situation where the timing and issuing of vast quantities of bonds is very difficult. That would drive up long-term interest rates for everyone. In that situation the prospects for recovery are badly damaged"
Contrary to Labour suggestions that George Osborne should not have commented on the risk to the pound as this broke some alleged convention, Ken Clarke also denied that there has ever been a convention banning politicians from commenting on the health of the Pound.
Ken has got the line right - he recognises who is putting the economy at risk, who the Conservative party should be criticising, and that is Gordon Brown. The small minority within the Conservative party which has been launching "friendly fire" at the shadow chancellor should follow Ken's example and shift their guns to the proper target.
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