George Osborne
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This article is on the politician. For the musician, see George W. Osborne.
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| George Osborne | |
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| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | |
|---|---|
| In office | |
| 2005 – present | |
| Preceded by | Oliver Letwin |
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
| Born | 23 May 1971 London |
| Constituency | Tatton |
| Majority | 11,731 (28.3%) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Website: www.georgeosborne.co.uk | |
George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born 23 May 1971 in London) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom, and has been Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001. He is currently Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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[edit] Background and early life
The eldest son and heir of Sir Peter Osborne, 17th Baronet (and co-founder of the fabric and wallpapers designers, Osborne & Little), Osborne was educated at St Paul's School and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was a 'Demy' (a scholarship winner) in Modern History. He was also editor of the University magazine Isis. He is married to The Hon. Frances Howell, an author (and elder daughter of former Conservative Cabinet Minister David Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford). The couple have two young children.
Originally named Gideon, he changed his name to George when he was 13. In a Daily Telegraph interview in July 2005, Osborne said: "It was my small act of rebellion. I never liked it. When I finally told my mother she said, 'Nor do I.' So I decided to be George after my grandfather, who was a war hero. Life was easier as a George; it was a straightforward name."
[edit] Cocaine controversy
In October 2005, Jennifer Shackleton, a former dominatrix known to Mr Osborne as Nathalie, produced a photograph of them at her flat in 1993 and claimed that they had taken cocaine together. In the photograph, published by the News of the World, the table in front of the pair holds rolled up papers and what appears to be a line of white powder, evidence of recent drug use according to Ms Shackleton. Osborne denied the claims[1]. Labour MP Dennis Skinner was excluded from the House of Commons for claiming Osborne had taken cocaine[2]. Osborne was running David Cameron's bid to become party leader when the allegations surfaced. During that campaign Cameron was also accused of having taken cocaine. Shackleton was quoted as saying, "Osborne and Cameron have been trying to brush their pasts under the carpet, saying whatever they did in the past is not relevant. But I think it's important they tell the truth."
[edit] Political career
He joined the Conservative Research Department in 1994 and became Head of the Political Section. Between 1995 and 1997 he was a Special Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (during the BSE crisis) and worked in the Political Office at 10 Downing Street. Between 1997 and 2001 he worked for then Conservative leader William Hague as a speech writer and Political Secretary. In this role he helped prepare Hague for the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions, often playing the role of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Under the leaderships of Michael Howard and now under David Cameron, he has remained on the Prime Minister's Questions team.
[edit] Parliamentary Career
Elected as the Member of Parliament for Tatton, Cheshire, in June 2001, he succeeded the Independent MP Martin Bell, who had famously won it from the controversial former Conservative minister Neil Hamilton at the 1997 election. Osborne won with a majority of 8,611, becoming (at that time) the youngest Conservative MP in the House of Commons. At the 2005 election, he was re-elected with an increased majority of 11,731, 51.8% of the vote.
In September 2004, Osborne was appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and following the 2005 General Election he was promoted to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer at the young age of 33.
He has in the past been touted as a possible future leader of the Conservative Party [citation needed] and is friends with David Cameron, whose leadership campaign he organised. This close friendship has led to comparisons with the relationship between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Responding to that comparison, at the LSE in February 2006 Osborne said that there had been 'no deal' between him and Cameron.
Osborne has expressed an interest in the ideas of "tax simplification" (including the idea of flat tax). He set up the Tax Reform Commission in October 2005 to investigate ideas for how to create a 'flatter, simpler' tax system.
In June 2006 Osborne attended the annual Bilderberg Conference, held at the Brookstreet Hotel, Ottawa, Canada.[1]
[edit] Personal attacks on Gordon Brown
In contrast to the consensual approach favoured by David Cameron, Osborne has attacked Brown very aggressively throughout his tenure as Shadow Chancellor. It has been suggested that this is part of a systematic attack on Brown which will be waged by Cameron's lieutenants (without associating Cameron directly with such sentiments)[2].
During Osborne's response to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's Pre-Budget Report on 5 December 2005 (in which Brown announced the revision of his estimate for UK growth in 2005 to from 3.50% to 1.75%), Osborne attacked Brown as "a Chancellor past his sell by date, a Chancellor holding Britain back".
In an interview the same week, he also referred to Brown as 'brutal' and 'unpleasant'[3].
[edit] "Autism" comments
During the October 2006 Conservative Party Conference Osborne was asked by a journalist at a fringe meeting if he was "faintly autistic", after recalling his propensity for remembering odd facts. Osborne responded by joking "we're not getting on to Gordon Brown yet." [4] This comment drew controversy and was immediately attacked by the National Autistic Society, a director of which stated that "any pejorative use of terms relating to autism can cause deep distress and hurt to people affected by the condition". A spokesman for Brown demanded an apology from Osborne for the comment, which has not been forthcoming. In response Osborne stated he did not intend to insult people suffering from autism, though he did add, "do I think that Chancellor Gordon Brown needs better relations with his colleagues, let alone with the opposition front bench? Most certainly." In the same meeting Osborne also said of Brown "He's the only man, apart from close members of my family, who has hung up the phone on me."
[edit] Rebuke from the Speaker
Osborne found himself rebuked by the Speaker of the House of Commons on 26th October 2006 when he attacked the Chancellor at Oral Questions to the Chancellor by citing a comment attributed to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions John Hutton (describing the Chancellor as likely to make an 'effing awful' Prime Minister)[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- George Osborne official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: George Osborne MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - George Osborne MP
- The Public Whip - George Osborne MP voting record
- - BBC Profile of George Osborne profile 5 April, 2005
- Open Directory Project - George Osborne directory category
- Tax Reform Commission
