Essentially the treasury have to do what they are told
so, Osborne and his team say what they want. The treasury tell them it's idiotic. They ask for it anyway, and the treasury have to work out a way to do it.

Most chancellors defer to the treasury on most things, except key pre-election promises, but obviously the treasury are geared up for that, as in the run-up to elections they work out how the key policies of all the parties would work, just in case they get elected.

Osborne defers on very little, but the treasury's hands are essentially tied. Ultimate decision rests with the chancellor, which is why having a chancellor who is both an economic idiot and unspeakably arrogant is a really, really, fucking bad idea. The fact he's Tory is really neither here nor there, this is apolitical. It's the fact he's George Osborne that is the major problem.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Fri 5 Apr 2013, 9:58, 1 reply, 12 years ago)

yeah, but he runs a very successful family business. he's got a proven track record, he's not just a career prick in the treasury

( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Fri 5 Apr 2013, 10:03, Reply)