It’s nice to see that the art of ventriloquism isn’t dead. Even if you can see George Osborne’s lips move. No, really: you can actually see him mouthing along with Nick Clegg’s controversial ‘illegal war’ jibe at Prime Minister’s Questions this week. Here’s a link to the place in the tape where Nick Clegg accuses Labour of the illegal invasion of Iraq, just before Claire Perry pops up in her orange jumpsuit, presumably to make a protest about Guantanamo Bay. But catch it while you can – these iPlayer links only stay fresh for a few days.
While Callmedave was tugging his forelock in the White House, describing the UK as the junior partner in World War II with the US in 1940 (er – didn’t the Americans enter the war in 1941, after the Battle of Britain? Is history not on the curriculum at Eton, Dave?), George Osborne appeared to be pulling the strings as Clegg faced Jack Straw across the dispatch box.
Maybe he, one day – perhaps we’ll have to wait for his memoirs – could account for his role in the most disastrous decision of all, which is the illegal invasion of Iraq.
NICK CLEGG, Deputy Prime Minister
Why would George Osborne be mouthing along with that sentence? Clearly Clegg mis-spoke here. Yet Osborne’s subvocalization suggests that this was a pre-prepared response, not a slip. But was it Clegg’s pre-prepared jibe that Osborne saw in advance? Or did Osborne feed him the line?
In Clegg’s defence, he was only caught out by telling the truth: you and I know that the war in Iraq was illegal. Eliza Manningham-Buller, the former head of MI5, knows it, and gave evidence to that effect earlier in the week to the Chilcot Inquiry. It is Clegg’s long-held belief that the war was illegal, and his party was the only one to oppose it from the outset. But Clegg was speaking for the Government on Wednesday, not for himself or his party. And it is the Government’s position to wait for the outcome of Chilcot before making such pronoucements.
The odd thing is why Osborne, who strongly defended the decision to go to war, is not only rejoicing in the jibe, but seems to know the line in advance. He has the smug, self-satisfied look of a school bully who has tricked the new boy into saying something rude to the teacher. But surely the Tories wouldn’t put their new Lib Dem partners in such awkward, undermining positions for their own amusement?
Then again, maybe Osborne’s right arm is a false one, like Rod Hull’s. Gottle of geer, anyone?
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Maybe, just maybe, George agrees with Nick?
Could be – Agreeing with Nick is de rigueur these days – and other Tories have changed their minds, such as Theresa May on gay equality. I just can’t help thinking that, if Osborne had a hand in it, it was calculated to embarrass…
PS: Whatever the origin of the remark, it has done the grass roots and the discouraged Lib Dem voters (as well as MPs like Charles Kennedy, who must’ve been doing a little happy dance upon hearing this!) a seeming load of good to hear a senior Liberal Democrat stand up in the HoC and say what most people in the country think.
I’m sure there are more than a few Tories who voted for the war who feel cheated and misled by Blair and Straw, especially now the Chilcot enquiry is more and more coming round to the Lib Dem point of view.
Yes, you’re right – whatever the motivation, it was great to hear the words “illegal war” from the DPM! Who’da thought it?
If it was deliberate and a sabotage, then it rather misfired…
It’s certainly the first time since the election that the comments section on a guardian article has more pro-Clegg comments than anti-Clegg ones.
The coalition with all its in-built paradoxes and contradictions is a gift to the politicians – they can attack Labour from both left and right and maintain complete deniability simultaneously. Yes, everyone knows the Iraq War was illegal. And although the Tories voted for it at the time it’s another useful stick to beat Labour with now (especially as the coalition’s economic arguments are looking flakier than ever just at the moment). But only the Lib Dems can use the Iraq stick.
I also thought it fascinating that Clegg dragged Iraq into a reply completely unrelated to the PMQ he was asked – another sign the comment was preplanned.