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By Sam Macrory - 5th November 2010
George Osborne was the star witness at yesterday's meeting of the treasury select committee. Far, far more interesting however was the committee member sat dangerously close to the chancellor's left.
Grimacing, head-shaking, and whispering whatever the opposite of a sweet nothing may be, Labour MP John Mann could hardly have looked more up for a bust up if he'd been cracking his knuckles in a clichéd pre-bar room bust up scene setter. This dictionary definition of pent up aggression made for captivating viewing - a leash was all that was needed for the straining to be any more obvious.
Osborne is clearly not a popular man in the Mann household or, I doubt, much of his Bassetlaw constituency. His early defence of the government's economic approach left Mann looking halfway between Bruce Banner and his very angry alter ego, The Incredible Hulk.
The chancellor did not want to see Mann when he was angry, but it was too late for that. Chuka Umunna hardly helped his mood. No stranger to a headline-opportunity, Umunna played the roughing-up role by asking Osborne how the tough measures of the Comprehensive Spending Review had affected the chancellor's family.
The heart string-pulling revelation that the millionaires of family Osborne no longer qualified for child benefit - yes, they had been claiming - didn't soothe Umanna's mood, though his best angry face was nothing compared to the volcanic visage across the table.
The chancellor, who also revealed the date of next year's budget in a crowd-pleasing measure, was unimpressed by the newcomer and asked: "If you can think of an alternative, be my guest."
This was too much for Mann, who at last waded in to Osborne with relentless fury. "How many children will be moved out of their homes?" "Will homelessness increase or decrease?" "Why are public sector workers paying the price for the extravagance of bankers?" Osborne looked uncomfortable: he either didn't have the answers, or if he did, he wasn't too keen to reveal them. "I'm not going to make forecasts" he pompously told his tormentor. "Why not, you make forecasts all the time," Mann snarled in reply. "John, John", came the voice of the rather more restrained Andrew Tyrie, the committee chairman. "I'd like to hear the answer".
Mann was unmoved, snapping back: "The chancellor has all day" before squeezing in one more question about whether fire station numbers would fall. A walk out at least, if not the sight of Osborne being held up by his well-tailored lapels, looked on, but sadly common sense returned. "We both need to take responsibility - you voted for previous Labour budgets", an exasperated Osborne, eyes closed at one point, told Mann. Again, Tyrie stepped in. Osborne smiled - a smile of relief.
George the chancellor was briefly Gideon the short-trousered schoolboy; with head teacher Tyrie arriving just in time to put a stop to the lop-sided playground bust up. Mann fumed silently, a look that said: "I'll see you outside."
This is a feud that will continue. For parliamentary entertainment and scrutiny, that can be no bad thing. Whether it helps the victims of the government's economic policies is another matter.
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