The reshuffle allowed David Cameron to place what many ministers (and sacked ministers in particular) are calling ‘Osborne’s spies’ in each government department to help the Chancellor rein in spending. Justine Greening wasn’t a typical spy when she arrived at the International Development department in a huff after being forced out of the Transport department, but as an ex-accountant, she was certainly appealing. Shortly after her appointment, Fraser speculated as to whether she would be quite so enthusiastic about playing ‘Mitchell’s Millions’, the game of spending £30 million a day on aid, regardless of how well-targeted that money is.
Greening is clearly keen to show that she’s not as eager a contestant as her predecessor Andrew Mitchell. The Daily Mail reports this morning that she has opened an ’emergency audit’ into the revelations in the Sunday Telegraph that DfId paid £500 million last year to consultants. A source tells the Mail:
‘Justine will be sure to bring an accountant’s eye to DfID and will be looking extremely closely at every single area of spend to ensure value for money for the British taxpayer.
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