Week Ending: The mystery of Sir Howard’s scarf; Osborne gives Cheshire history lesson

A YEAR ago we suggested Sir Howard Bernstein’s black scarf could be as potent an economic indicator as, say, the purchasing managers’ index.

The scarf has been ever present at functions, inside and out, in recent years, but it was absent at a pro-manchester lunch this time last year.

And lo, since then the UK economy has started to grow and Manchester has made progress on a number of significant schemes, from First Street to the Abu Dhabi housing tie-up.

Now, admittedly there’s a hole in this theory. The scarf has reappeared during the past 12 months even when Sir Howard has been on the same bill as George ‘Northern Powerhouse’ Osborne.

But yesterday, when Sir Howard appeared at another pro-manchester lunch, there was no scarf. I think the message is clear: while there are fears of global economic stagnation and the markets falter, Sir Howard is saying, “stick with Manchester, we’re on the up. And City might win the league too”.

Or maybe he just doesn’t like to wear a scarf at pro-manchester lunches.

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CHANCELLOR George Osborne’s job may be all about numbers, but he showed an admirable knowledge of local history when he attended a lunch on Thursday in deepest Cheshire.

Organised by UK Trade and Investment the celebratory lunch for its North West Export Champions was held at the Bells of Peover pub, just off the Middlewich Road in the heart of Mr Osborne’s Tatton constituency.

He began by stating: “It is very approriate that I should be in this room telling you all to invade France and Germany.”

As few puzzled looks went around the room as guests wondered whether the Chancellor was unveiling a very radical policy shift on Europe to combat the rise of UKIP, Osborne hastily explained that the lunch was being staged in the same room that American army supremos Generals Eisenhower and Patton had plotted D-Day some 70 years ago.

Apparently both men enjoyed visiting the pub as it was a short trip from Peover Hall, where US forces were billeted in the war.