Mandelson attacks Osborne's 'untruth'

Wednesday, 1 July 2009 10:49 AM

By politics.co.uk staff

Peter Mandelson has hit out at shadow chancellor George Osborne by accusing him of a "deliberate untruth".

The business secretary was referring to Mr Osborne's claim yesterday that the government had twice denied the Conservatives access to a major database known as the combined online information system.

"I suggest George Osborne withdraws this deliberate untruth to avoid embarrassing his leader at prime minister's questions today," Lord Mandelson told Sky News.

"It's a very unattractive pattern of behaviour that's starting to emerge with George Osborne, of innuendo in pursuit of a smear."

The first secretary of state's comments followed David Cameron's claim on Monday that a "thread of dishonesty" ran through Gordon Brown's government.

"There's a pattern to his behaviour now with George Osborne and I must say with some of his other colleagues as well," Lord Mandelson added.

"Mr Cameron must know what's going on because it's his strategy. You don't hear him asking questions about policies. You don't hear him raising issues about housing, or education or schools or policing. What you hear him every time is trying to slam into the prime minister personally."

He said "different forms of suggestion and innuendo" about Mr Brown's "character" were inappropriate given the current economic circumstances.

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