George Osborne 'locks milk in Treasury fridge' – says his deputy Danny Alexander

Lib Dem accuses Tory minister of ‘not sharing’ office refreshments

Danny Alexander (right) has accused George Osborne of keeping his office milk 'under lock and key' (Getty Images)

George Osborne has been accused by his own deputy of being so tight-fisted that he keeps his milk in the Treasury fridge “under lock and key”.

Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said that the Chancellor refused to share his refreshments and that he used a padlock on his “double-size” office fridge.

The Lib Dem minister offered the gem about his Tory senior at a Westminster lunch for political journalists, and said that he put Mr Osborne’s protective nature down to the fact that he went to St Paul’s, a public school in London.

“We do share things – but not the milk, which to my amusement he still keeps under lock and key,” he said.

Just in case those present thought he was joking, Mr Alexander added: “Really, his fridge in the Treasury kitchen is replete with a padlock. Yes, it must have been tough at St Paul's.”

But sources within the Conservative Party’s Treasury team have countered he suggestion that Mr Osborne is unwilling to share.

They explained that the key to the fridge is readily available and that Mr Alexander’s comments simply show how rarely he does the tea round.

The Tories tweeted: “Danny’s going to be a bit embarrassed – that’s the communal fridge where his office get his milk. Clearly he doesn’t do it himself.”