Will Osborne be overshadowed by Clarke?

There has to be a real risk of this.

Osborne has had his detractors of late with many stories being interpreted as a slight against him such as Cameron making Hague his deputy "in all but name."

Clarke's return is also being viewed as another slight by some - as an admission by Cameron that his economic team was not up to scratch and Osborne lacked the experience and gravitas necessary to convince the political world and electorate that he had what it takes.

It is perhaps to be expected that some will draw this type of conclusion. However, Clarke has not replaced Osborne as shadow Chancellor. Osborne is central to Cameron's mission to lead the Conservatives back to electoral success. Clearly Cameron has decided he can utilise Clarke's talents and experience BUT as a compliment to Osborne, NOT as a replacement.

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I do not remember Peter Mandelson's return being interpreted in any way other than as a strengthening of Brown's economic team, adding his considerable experience. I do not remember the media saying that Mandelson's return undermined Alistair Darling. But perhaps that is because it was impossible to undermine Darling any further; a man widely seen as a puppet controlled by his master, Gordon Brown.

Nevertheless, Clarke's huge profile will mean the media will increasingly go to him for economic comment. This will play to the Tories' advantage (so long as he toes the same line as Cameron and Osborne). Like a Black Hole, he will act as vacuum for media coverage sucking it his way to the detriment of political opponent's, such as the current media economic darling, Vince Cable, and redressing the current imbalance that has been in favour of Mandelson since the Prince of Darkness's return. The downside, though, is that Osborne too could be overshadowed.

What is extraordinary is that Osborne was the initial driving force behind Ken Clarke's return. If true, and there is no reason to think otherwise, Osborne has chosen to put his party above his own personal career ambitions as he must have thought that Clarke's return could undermine his position, a point made by Rachel Sylvester today in the Times,

Despite all the worries that have been voiced about the return of Clarke it has undoubtedly strengthened the Tories' economic team.

The Tory Top team of Cameron, Hague, Osborne, Clarke and May is definitely stronger than their Labour opposites of Brown, Miliband, Darling, Mandelson and Purnell.

I'd score it 4-1 victory to the Tories (Purnell being the consolation goal - still think May's appointment is a mistake).