George Osborne new editor of Evening Standard

[ECCOnoob]

The mind bogles how anyone can possibly carry a job as an MP and

EDITOR at the same time.

How can he possibly become an Editor of a newspaper with little or

no experience in journalism. How will he handle his inside knowlege of the

goings on in government, when it comes to what he writes in a column in

the paper.

 

Have you seen the Evening Standard? Its a selection of cut and paste articles from the Daily Mail handed out for free to every Tom, Dick and Harry catching the tube every evening.

 

I dont think this editing job will detract too much from his MP role.

 

I really dont know what the outrage is here. MPs are allowed to have second jobs. Lots of them do from all sides of the House.

 

I have no doubt that the mere fact that its Osborne involved in this story is a reason for it is seemingly disproportionate negative reaction.

 

When Compo does his articles for the Socialist Worker and Mirror or his paid interviews for eastern bloc television stations or consultancy work with protest and campaign groups does the world kick off?? When so called "man of the people" t'old Nige Farage was being paid by our monies to work in the European Parliament did everyone go mad when he was earning bucks from his writing for the Express, talking crap on LBC, publishing books and even doing Adverts for bookies.

 

The sort of jobs that MPs do outside varies hugely. Here is an old article which perfectly shows just how diverse they are....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31619780

 

Out of interest, if Osborne was working part time as a Doctor or perhaps a Director of a homeless charity - would there be all this fuss??

Edited March 17, 2017 by ECCOnoob

[the_bloke]

The difference in case anyone is too self-blinded to realise is that Osborne is due to be the editor which takes up a bit more time than the average columnist.

 

Four mornings a week. Time will tell, if he starts not turning up to parliament sessions which are all in afternoons.

 

Unless you have a diary of other prominent MPs, who can say if four mornings a week is more or less than any other MP does on outside jobs? Or not doing any MP work at all?

 

What's worse, an MP that does zip for four mornings a week, or one that has a second job? Either way, they aren't being an MP.

[Bob Arctor]

He has a family too.

 

Really? I thought he'd eaten his young.

[unbeliever]

Why, is Obelix related to Osborne?

We all generate wealth for the economy.

 

I don't.

I use wealth generated by other people to do research. Maybe it will generate a lot of wealth in 50 years. Maybe not.

 

The only consolation I have is that, unlike many who are state-funded, I do this whilst not being an [expletive deleted] to the people who's money I'm spending.

Edited March 17, 2017 by unbeliever

[bazjea]

Have you seen the Evening Standard? Its a selection of cut and paste articles from the Daily Mail handed out for free to every Tom, Dick and Harry catching the tube every evening.

 

I dont think this editing job will detract too much from his MP role.

 

I really dont know what the outrage is here. MPs are allowed to have second jobs. Lots of them do from all sides of the House.

 

I have no doubt that the mere fact that its Osborne involved in this story is a reason for it is seemingly disproportionate negative reaction.

 

When Compo does his articles for the Socialist Worker and Mirror or his paid interviews for eastern bloc television stations or consultancy work with protest and campaign groups does the world kick off?? When so called "man of the people" t'old Nige Farage was being paid by our monies to work in the European Parliament did everyone go mad when he was earning bucks from his writing for the Express, talking crap on LBC, publishing books and even doing Adverts for bookies.

 

The sort of jobs that MPs do outside varies hugely. Here is an old article which perfectly shows just how diverse they are....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31619780

 

Out of interest, if Osborne was working part time as a Doctor or perhaps a Director of a homeless charity - would there be all this fuss??

i

 

I didn't realise it was a free paper. I assume it will be an unpaid post then

and there will not be" all this fuss" as you intimate above

[cgksheff]

i

 

I didn't realise it was a free paper. I assume it will be an unpaid post then

and there will not be" all this fuss" as you intimate above

 

Pre-tax profit of £3.4m on a turnover of £71.3m.

Highest paid director on £400,000 (ish).

[Bob Arctor]

 

Your post as ever reeks of jealousy Anna that someones managed to get a better job than you have.

 

No it doesn't. She's just pointing out that if the thinking behind MPs having second jobs is that it helps keep them in touch with the real world then it would be helpful if they didn't take executive posts that help to keep them insulated from what is the real world for the vast majority of the electorate. It's a perfectly reasonable point for anyone to make, regardless of their own income, but clearly not one you are willing to engage with, hence your ad hom.

 

Are ad homs ok today by the way? Obviously they were ok yesterday but I know that on other days they are not ok - could you give us an update please?

[Justin Smith]

Now then, let`s see. I can think of at least three papers the Mail, Express & Sun (note use of the word papers, not NEWSpapers, they don`t deserve that title) who are virulently anti the EU. If George becomes the editor and steers the Standard in a pro EU direction, that can only be a good thing to balance things up a bit. Particularly as London voted heavily in favour of staying in the EU.

 

It`s interesting, I didn`t use to like George Osborne much, nor Cameron*. But my wife`s theory, that each successive Govt is so much worse than the last that one finds oneself wishing they were back, is oh so true......

 

* Apart from the unforgiveable way he gambled the country on an EU referendum relatively few people even wanted just so he could pinch a few percentage of votes off UKIP and quell the anti EU wing of his party.

[ukdobby]

With all his jobs it's impossible to give 100 percent to being a mp.

Edited March 19, 2017 by ukdobby

[*Belle*]

My original question, was of course rhetorical but at least the situation has prompted a meeting on Thursday by 'The Committee on Standards in Public Life' and not before time, in my opinion. I doubt that anything much will come of it, but at least it is being discussed.