Two thoughts about George Osborne are usually uppermost in David Cameron's mind.
First, the prime minister likes to tease his chancellor, as Cameron did this week when he described his love for pasties after Osborne struggled to mention the last time he had bought one. Second, the prime minister likes to tell friends that Osborne is the Tories' greatest strategist.
Until now most Tories have enjoyed the jokes and endorsed the prime minister's view of Osborne as the "submarine" of the government who steers clear of the media to focus on strategy.
But many Tories are starting to harbour doubts about Osborne after his less than polished handling of the budget. I have spoken to a series of senior party figures for a piece in Saturday's Guardian who are voicing, in private, thoughts that were "heretical" until a few weeks ago. These are that Osborne:
• Misjudged the budget by failing to spot the significance of what has become known as the "granny tax". In a sign in the shift in opinion against Osborne, many Tories are refusing to accept the Treasury explanation that the chancellor did not control the handling of the budget because the Lib Dems had reportedly leaked so many details.
One Tory told me:
George has mucked things up. He is supposed to be the party's great political strategist but he misjudged the politics and the political messaging around the budget.
• Is failing to live up to billing. One Tory told me:
I am not sure he is the great political strategist. He has flashes of inspiration and has created myths. But for every brilliant stroke, you see the ball dropped. Who brought in Andy Coulson?
• Runs an elitist clique. One Tory likened him to Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII's great courtier. This is what a Tory told me:
Now we have Cardinal Wolsey himself: our chancellor. If you want to get on in the Conservative party you have to have hands laid upon you in a religious manner by George. That is very divisive and is feeding resentment.
Nobody is suggesting that Osborne is heading for a fall from grace in the manner of Wolsey in 1529 amid allegations that he was unhelpful in attempts to annul Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. But the fact that Tories are willing to voice serious doubts about Osborne, if only in private, shows how deeply the party has been jolted in the past ten days.
