Too Much Too Young

David (Lord) Young's indiscreet restaurant burbling about the "so-called" recession sounded rather like some Harry Enfield character or at least a scene from 'Yes, Minister.'

Amid the reassuring sound of fish knives on fine porcelain and claret glasses nudging together, Young poured out classic Tory indifference to the hard-pressed and unemployed.

As an adviser to the PM on business, he felt he did not have to accede to the Coalition's transparently false mantra of "we're all in this together." He scoffed at rising unemployment and cuts in public services as a lot of "fuss."

His best line was probably when he compared the level of public spending for 2010 being broadly similar to 2007, omitting to mention the tens of billions sucked out to support irresponsible banks. "Now I don't remember being short of money in 2007". Young wasn't short of money even in 1957, he was born into wealth and was able to thrive unlike "most people".

Once exposed, by the Telegraph of all papers, he immediately began distancing himself from his own remarks, like a footballer who has just been sent off, decrying needless fouling. Cameron had shown ruthless qualities previously and should have sacked him on the spot but instead showed he was really jolly angry at the old fool. Young did better by resigning a few hours later.

Labour frontbenchers could hardly contain their delight in having so many lines gifted to them which they can quote back to Cameron ad nauseam. The old image of Tory complacent aloofness is starting to return because the old detachment from the common man's plight had never really gone away.