Peter Costello went on the telly the other night to criticise the Rudd Government’s handling of the economic crisis.

Peter Costello has declared the Rudd Government is “rattled” by the global financial crisis, saying the stimulus package is a “poor-quality spend” that would not shift the economy.

The former treasurer accused Labor of undermining rather than adding to economic confidence, and said he would have been talking up its strength if he were still in office.

And here’s the thing: Petey could be leader of the Opposition right now if he could only stop sulking long enough to say “yes”. When the most experienced and senior member of the Parliamentary Liberal Party is so petulant he refuses to lead his troops, instead slinking off to the backbenches to snipe and sulk, he loses the right to say what he’d do if he was in office.

Peter Costello: fuck off.