GEORGE Osborne refused a seven-year-old’s maths challenge to tell him what
seven times eight is.
Despite taking charge of the nation’s finances, the Chancellor turned down the
simple multiplication quiz during a grilling from school children.
The Tory boss told young Sam Raddings who launched the ambush: “I’ve made
it a rule in life not to answer a whole load of maths questions”.
Mr Osborne also let slip he was never very good at saving when he was young,
despite his adult job of having to repair the nation’s £100bn deficit.
The only time he did put his pocket money was to buy as Scalextric car track,
he revealed.
The senior Cabinet minister made the confession after agreeing to be
questioned by six youngsters for kids’ First News paper.
Asked about his greatest regret since coming to power in 2010, he said: “When
you get into office that’s your opportunity to take some really big
decisions.
“I look back and think there’s even more we could have done to fix some
of the economic problems.
“If anything, it’s like I wish we’d done even more.”
Mr Osborne also defended angry shouting matches between MPs during PMQs as
demonstrations of “passion”.