THE former Chancellor George Osborne, sacked by Theresa May, seems to be becoming more of a pest to her from the backbenches.

During a speech in Chicago, Osborne attacked ministers for their “naive” approach to Brexit and urged Mrs May to delay negotiations with Brussels.

He then praised Lord O’Neill, who resigned from the Government in protest over the Prime Minister’s policy towards China. Apart from any other consideration, it is regarded as out of order for a British politician to criticise the Government when overseas.

This kind of sniping from an aggrieved political grandee is always hugely annoying and distracting for a Prime Minister, but I imagine that May will not let it bother her.

Even so, she could do without it.

I recall that Margaret Thatcher was adept at what she called “back-seat driving” in the Commons after she was replaced by John Major. It affected him considerably. I was with Major in Belgium when she announced that she was leaving the Commons for the House of Lords.

The look of relief on Major’s face was something I shall never forget.

IT IS unthinkable and, some would say, bordering on treachery to have lawyers grubbing around like pigs sniffing out truffles, trying to find British troops who may have committed offences against local people in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition how can you safely trust the word of complainants who see, after so many years, a chance of making easy money?

These ex-service personnel risked, and often gave, their lives fighting for their country. It is intolerable that they should now, so many years later, have this sword of Damocles hanging over them. They should be left in peace.

War is war, and in the blind heat and tumult of it all, things may have happened which smug armchair critics - with the benefit of hindsight - now say should not have happened.

I am glad to see that Tony Blair has entered the fray in a bid to end what he calls, quite rightly, this “witch hunt”.

He says that the bodies making these inquiries possible should never have been set up. It is appalling that we should ask young people to risk their lives on our behalf and then unbelievably try to discover whether they have misbehaved in the process.

To be fair, Theresa May has come out to say that she is on the side of these veterans.

She should now use her powers to stop this madness.

I SUSPECTED it might not be long before Parliament got itself involved in the Great British Bake Off sell-off. MPs will want to be certain that the fact an astronomical price was paid for this programme meant that all the strict rules governing these transactions were strictly adhered to. Meanwhile, from what we read, the sums of money offered to the so-called stars of the show, imploring them to stay aboard, suggest they are getting into the realm of Wayne Rooney.

Revealing that some people feel able to turn down these eye-watering sums.