As we head once more unto the breach, the PM must urgently step up
When Michael Howard offered me the job of shadow chancellor, he kindly gave me a weekend to think about it. At the time, 15 years ago, the life expectancy of Tory shadow chancellors was about the same as a second lieutenant on the Western Front. Six had died before me. I had tickets that Saturday to see Nick Hytner's brilliant Henry IV Part 1 at the National Theatre. I have a vivid memory of watching Hotspur being killed fighting for the crown, and thinking: what am I bringing down on myself? But come Monday morning, I said yes. I told myself (to borrow from a piece of recent musical theatre): I am not throwing away my shot.