Tom Richmond: Why boy George needs the help of old hands

Presently, he needs all the help that he can muster. His letter to voters in Pudsey this week didn't endear him to voters in this marginal seat. No detailed policies – just bland platitudes and a repeat from this man of financial means that "we're all in this together".As if.

A neighbour's response to this letter was to announce that she would now vote for Labour because she has more faith in Alistair Darling, the Chancellor.

If Osborne wants to be serious about cutting the national debt, and lowering taxes, might I suggest that he utilises the expertise of Tory veterans David Davis and Edward Leigh – men who can provide the credibility that Osborne cannot deliver.

Why?

Both have been in charge of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which scrutinises every aspect of Whitehall spending. Davis, the Haltemprice and Howden MP, held this post during New Labour's first term – a role that forged his political reputation. Leigh, the committee's chairman in 2001, steps aside at the election.

They know the public finances inside out; indeed, Leigh this week

sent an 18-page letter to all MPs that is scathing about the public servants "unfazed by the odd 100m going missing".

His 10-point plan includes throwing open Whitehall departments to more scrutiny. He adds: "There is not a shadow of doubt that you can

deliver the reduction in the deficit that we require by imposing massive efficiency savings and job cuts on the bureaucracy."

The problem is that Osborne – and his boss David Cameron – appear reluctant to accept the advice and wisdom of more experienced Parliamentarians.

One Tory MP tells me that Ken Clarke, the Shadow Business Secretary, has been offered no job guarantee if the Tories win the election.

Clarke, a former Chancellor, fears he will be pushed to one side after being brought back to the political fold to shore up Osborne's position.

Yet the Tories would not be in such a mess over the economy, with their policy changing by the day, if Clarke – and not Osborne – was the Chancellor-in-waiting. The election would already be won.

Now Cameron goes into the election with Simon Heffer, the

leading Conservative commentator, echoing this columnist's long-held view that Osborne should be replaced immediately by Clarke, and a Tory campaign website having to state, for its members, five reasons why "boy George" is up to the job.

The problem, from Cameron's perspective, is that he cannot change tack now because it will call his judgment into question. That's why he needs to offer cost-cutting roles to Leigh and Davis.

For, if he does not, and the Tories do not land an outright victory on May 6, Cameron will, inevitably, face calls to resign; in part because of his failure to value experience over youthful and immature exuberance.

PERHAPS the most pertinent criticism of David Cameron comes from impressionist Rory Bremner rather than a political rival.

"What I have always said about David Cameron is that he does a better Tony Blair than I do. I just do the voice, while Cameron is doing the whole career," he observed the other day.

It doesn't get any better for the Lib Dems. "I can't do a convincing Nick Clegg, but nor can he," added Bremner when asked to impersonate the Sheffield Hallam MP.

AT least it will tickle Yorkshire Minister Rosie Winterton's ego. Filey politics student Antonia Quick, 19, and teenager Nathan Peterson, from Leeds, both sent out the same missive after spending Budget day at Westminster as part of the UK Youth Parliament initiative that aims to get more young people involved in politics.

They spent the day with the Doncaster MP, also local government Minister, who they went on to describe – in rather flattering terms

– as "one of the most powerful women in the country".

Their words, or those of an official?

ON past occasions when John Prescott has been tipped for a place in the House of Lords, the old boy has come on the phone and told me in no uncertain terms: "I shall never wear the ermine."

The words, I've not repeated the expletives, were spoken with conviction by the then Deputy Prime Minister and outgoing Hull East MP. Yet times have changed – his long-suffering wife Pauline quite fancies the title Lady P and is reportedly asking her errant husband to reconsider after his affair with his diary secretary caused her so much hurt.

My money is on Prescott becoming a peer. The expenses are not to be sneezed at. But what does this – and the ongoing cash for influence scandal – say about the reputation of the political system?

To me, the only reason the Lords has been left unreformed for so long is because it is a means for the political elite to look after its own.

BACK to bail out Gordon Brown, his successor and sworn enemy, Tony Blair describes "time for a change" – the Conservative's election theme – as "the most vacuous slogan in politics".

It's not what Blair was saying in 1997 when he was imploring "change" to

end 18-years of Tory rule. What's changed, Tony?

More significantly, however, Blair's speech did not mention David Cameron by name – presumably because he doesn't want to jeopardise personal relations with the Conservative leader if he becomes PM.

I can only assume Blair has a consultancy job in mind.