By 14th August, the bosses of large US companies have to confirm in writing that their accounts are correct and face the consequences if they are not. Why not get George Bush to certify that the government's own accounts are OK says the
New York Post. An excellent idea. Of course, he won't because he knows perfectly well that government accounting makes Enron and WorldCom look like minor errors in the petty cash.
Here is an opportunity for the Tories. Challenge Tony Blair as Chief Executive and Gordon Brown as Finance Director to certify the accuracy of the UK government's accounting procedures. Why shouldn't the two of them be asked to repay half their salaries and pension benefits if the books have been cooked? They wouldn't run away from such a challenge, would they?