Straight talk

World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz is hanging on grimly to his job. The White House has expressed its support and that is crucial. But I like the fact that top managers at the World Bank have told him to his face that he should go. I can't think of many situations where professionals show that kind of courage. FT reports:

One of Paul Wolfowitz’s two deputies on Wednesday urged the World Bank president to resign as the civil war inside the institution reached top management.

Graeme Wheeler, managing director, made his call in front of all the bank’s top officials at an extraordinary session of their regular weekly meeting.

It is understood that other top managers of vice-president rank also suggested Mr Wolfowitz should go.

But Mr Wolfowitz – who has been under growing pressure following revelations that he was personally involved in securing a big pay rise as part of a secondment package to the US state department for his girlfriend Shaha Riza – told the meeting he had no intention of quitting.