As Mandelson slips up, Osborne gets it

He is wonderful entertainment and dam good to boot, but His Lordship does lay it on a bit thick at times.

Here is Mandy’s reaction, via Paul Waugh, to Osborne’s speech:

I have read George Osborne’s speech with incredulity. He must have made some mistake. I realise his speech was thrown together in haste but he or his researcher appear to have dropped in policies, paragraphs indeed almost whole pages of the speech I made on January 6.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I certainly feel sincerely flattered. However, the serious point is this: as his answer to questions revealed, there is a big difference between photocopying and understanding. I think he can recover from his performance today. After all, my friend Joe Biden deservedly became Vice-President of the United States.

Interesting comment.  Is this an admission by Mandy that Osborne will become Chancellor?

As for the speech itself there wasn't much, but:

Leading business bodies said that while Mr Osborne’s intentions seemed sound, he had offered too little detail.

He gets it.  Well done, George.  Just keep away from the detail and no more U-turns.

As Mandy implies, Osborne could go far.