GEORGE Osborne has become the darling of the Conservative conference in recent years – but his bravado turned to bungling here in Birmingham.

Autumn after autumn, the Chancellor has made the political weather with eye-catching announcements that cheered the faithful and put Labour on the back foot.

Most memorably, his 2007 pledge to axe inheritance tax for all but millionaires persuaded Gordon Brown to cancel a General Election he probably would have won – and, arguably, saved David Cameron’s career.

Two years ago, the then Shadow Chancellor vowed to help town halls freeze council tax bills and, last year, a pay freeze for millions of public sector workers marked him out as an “Iron Chancellor-in-waiting”.

This impressive record of headline-making is vital to understanding why Mr Osborne chose the Tory conference, of all places, to announce that 1.2 million better-off families will lose their cherished child benefit. Minutes later, his super-smart chief of staff clearly believed they had pulled off another conference coup – boasting to me and other journalists about a “firecracker” of a speech.

He grinned about the trap set for Labour, which would lose all credibility on cutting the deficit if it pledged to save handouts to the most well-heeled.

More importantly, Mr Osborne had finally delivered some evidence for his unconvincing “We are all on it together” rallying cry, hitting the better-off ahead of the mighty wallop awaiting poorer people in this month’s landmark spending review.

Even before October 20, there is today’s report by former Labour Cabinet minister John Hutton that will tear chunks out of the pensions of public sector workers.

But it is clear that the Chancellor’s team – despite being the biggest brains in politics – had simply failed to spot the glaring unfairness in the child benefit axe and the storm of protest it would spark. Other objections, that the cut penalises aspiration, hits women and will demolish support for the universal welfare state, could have been seen off on the grounds that all must share the pain.

But no one will understand why the selfproclaimed, family-friendly party is punishing homes with a single breadwinner – either “stay-at home” mums or single mums – while those with two working parents escape. As Gordon Brown found in the 10p tax rate debacle, it can be fatal to alienate your own supporters with a change screaming unfairness.

Middle England will feel more pain next week when a crunch report will pave the way for annual student fees of up to £10,000.

Worse, Mr Osborne’s credibility – and perhaps his confidence – has been shaken just as he becomes the most important figure in the Government, the man wielding the machete on spending. Not a great time for the conference darling to lose his touch.

WHAT a difference a week makes. At Labour’s “Northern Night”, I was given free beer and welcomed with open arms. At the Tories’ “North Night”, I was... barred. Perhaps they were quaffing that forbidden champagne?

I WOULDN’T say the Tories are in disarray, but I watched as Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt mistakenly opened the door to the women’s toilets next to the press room.

When I generously warned him “Wrong one, Mr Hunt,” he turned, replied “Thanks very much” – and carried on through into the ladies.