As the Prime Minister faces scrutiny for having holiday plans amidst nationwide rioting, former frontline politicians Ed Balls and George Osborne are busy deciding what to pack for their upcoming trips. “I’ve got these leopard skin boxers which I love wearing. They’re not leopard skin they’re just leopard skin patterned they’re just cotton,” former Labour man Balls said on Political Currency, the podcast he co-hosts with Osborne.
“And I’ve also got this blue collarless shirt which has now got some holes in it which dates back to holidays from before our oldest child was born and she’s now 25,” the ex-minister continued. “I hate shaving so you don’t shave for a while and I tend to sport a goatee just for a day or two and the goatee with the leopard skin boxers and the holey shirt without a collar it’s a great look I tell you,” he continued. His family, including wife Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, are less keen on Balls’ holiday attire. “I get banned from going out in public,” he revealed.
Osborne’s choice holiday footwear? “I got a pair of laceless trainers that usually get thrown away at the end of a holiday because they’re pretty disgusting by the end,” the ex-Chancellor said. Fashion faux-pas aside, the former Tory MP said the biggest mistake he made was going abroad with former Labour minister Peter Mandelson. “Probably the worst moment in my entire political career, the moment where I came closest to everything ending, was when I ended up on holiday with Peter Mandelson and had dinner with him in a Greek Taverna in Corfu,” he said. “I have had the experience of having a holiday with someone from the Labour party and it was near fatal,” Osborne continued.
But, he concedes not all Labour politicians make bad holidays companions. “Tony Blair would be quite fun cause everywhere would be jets and five star hotels wouldn’t it?” Osborne added, “I’m going to make a slightly surprising suggestion here. I think David Lammy might enjoy himself on holiday quite a bit. I think he would settle down for a sangria at a civilised hour and a nice bowl of pistachios and some sliced saucisson. I think he gets in to the holiday spirit.” Perhaps he should extend an invite to the Prime Minister…
