An informal job interview in the park?
I was amused this lunchtime to see Robert Chote, the highly-regarded director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, having lunch with Rupert Harrison, George Osborne's whizz-kid economic adviser, at the Inn The Park restaurant in the middle of St James's Park.
Chote, who was chairman of the Liberal association when he was at Cambridge University, is a widely tipped as favourite to succeed Alan Budd as director of the government's new Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). And he's never tried to deny that he'd like the job.
Although the OBR is meant to be an independent body, the directorship is decided by the chancellor.
I can't help feeling that Harrison was giving Chote an preliminary job interview.
Today's lunch seemed a pretty informal occasion, since Chote was not only displaying the top of his Calvin Klein underpants, but wearing garish purple v-neck top - mind you, that's a big improvement on the bright blue suits he normally wears.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 28th Jul 2010, CraigMorecambe wrote:"I can't help feeling" that you're gossiping again Michael!
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Comment number 2.
At 28th Jul 2010, stevie wrote:ah, Rbt Chote...always had time for him..he used to tell us all the time that we were out of our depth, that we were borrowing too much, that it was all going to end in tears and like Larry Elliot we took not a jot of notice of him, we went on borrowing like a drunk in a brewery with no thought for the morrow so is the purpose of the interview to hear Robert say.....'told ya'
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Comment number 3.
At 28th Jul 2010, cping500 wrote:'Calvin Klein underpants' mmmmmm how interesting and a purple top.... does he have a hairy chest?
I hope Mr Harrison was not seeking to demand that if Mr Chote did become GO's guru he would publish his forecasts without confidence limits.
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Comment number 4.
At 29th Jul 2010, Isatou wrote:And who were you having lunch with , Michael ? Come on , do tell !
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