ConservativeHome calls it an “outstanding performance by George Osborne“, Guido has just got off the phone with Tom Clougherty, policy director at the free market think-tank the Adam Smith Institute, he described it as “the speech of his life”, Matthew Elliot at the Taxpayer’s Alliance has just crackberried over “he passed the test with flying colours. There is still a question mark over providing a coherent alternative plan, but this is slowly taking shape, and we’ll no doubt see more details in the coming weeks.” Even the insouciant worldly, non-partisan cynic Sir Michael White says he “did well enough from the sound of it“, which must mean that Darling was in difficulty.

Guido’s co-conspirators were impressed in our live poll during the exchange – and they have been pretty disparaging of Osborne over the last few months.

Some of the co-conspirators comments give a flavour:

• “Osborne was brilliant. Wiped the f*****g floor with that lying twat Darling. Brown kept smirking but looked very uncomfortable. The chickens are coming home to roost.”
• “thought Osborne did very well, thought he was going to mess it up. Labour front bench look flustered..”