The Birmingham Post hosted a live webchat with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne on his visit to the city on Friday.

Using the CoveritLive liveblogging platform, the Trinity Mirror-owned title enabled readers to quiz the top Tory about how he would tackle the recession.

Mr Osborne was asked a series of questions about economic policy ranging from what was his alternative to “quantitive easing” to what he planned to do to improve interest rates for savers.

On the day his political rival Peter Mandelson had green custard thrown at him by protesters, he was also asked about the apparent lack of security surrounding the Business Secretary.

Mr Osborne replied: “While it couldn’t happen to a nicer man, the serious point is this: stunts like that don’t really help advance a cause.

“I’m against a third runway at Heathrow and for greater action on climate change, but I think the way you achieve those thinks is through dialogue and getting the right policies – not pie throwing.”

The webchat was hosted by digital development editor Joanna Geary who is shortly leaving the title to join The Times.

It can be viewed at www.birminghampost.net/live along with two interviews carried out with Mr Osborne by the paper’s journalists.

Comments

MHmedia` (09/03/2009 10:32:42)
On the contrary – the incident generated lots of publicity shown widely on prime-time TV. Personally I would have left the custard in the tin..