After George Osborne’s surprise decision to scrap the rise in fuel duty, it was left to junior Treasury minister Chloe Smith to explain the government’s behaviour on last night’s Newsnight, with excruciating results (watch from 6:19 minutes). As Paxman repeatedly asked when she was told of the decision (one was reminded of his famous duel with Michael Howard), Smith could only reply that she wouldn’t give a “running commentary” on government policy-making and that it had been “under discussion” for some weeks. Her humiliation continued as she was asked to reconcile the move with her statement last month that “it is not certain that cutting fuel duty would have a positive effect on families or businesses”. Smith simply replied: “It’s important to do what you can to help households and businesses”.
Content from our partners
