Will the growth figures mean an end to his split jobs?

The two positive things for ministers about today’s third quarter of negative figures are that everybody is focused on the Olympics and because the commons is in recess there are not the usual Wednesday PMQs.

But they won’t go away totally unnoticed and provide further ammunition for those who are questioning the government’s strategy and Osborne’s varied roles.

An added challenge is that the “blame the last lot” rhetoric lost a lot of it potency with the budget tax cuts for the very rich.

The GDP news comes after a period when George Osborne has been under great pressure and illustrious predecessors like Nigel Lawson have publicly raised doubts about the chancellor’s multi-roles in this government.

I don’t think that George’s position at the Treasury is under threat though Cameron will do something, surely, to take away some of his responsibilities.

The problem is that with so much apparently going wrong with the economy that Osborne needs to be at least seen to be doing the job full-time

Will that happen? If Cameron is sensible it will.

Mike Smithson @MSmithsonPB