Osborne email - why no bigger outcry

[Loopylooni]

Like a lot of people, I read the email but what screamed at me was the mention of the girl who had just turned 16. Why is this not in the news, not even a mention of the email?

Yeah I was shocked at that too and can’t believe it’s not bigger on the news etc

There’s part of me that thinks that we’re all so used to Tories behaving disgustingly that we’re numb to it. Which is depressing. I can’t believe what we’ll put up with.

The BBC story seems to have broken at the right time...

Yes, sex with an underage girl (allegedly) is worse?

As with the BBC I'm sure GO is fully lawyered up. It's all speculation and allegation. The burden of proof is massive on the side of the paper who wanted to pursue that story.

What is this email about?

1. It wasn't illegal.
2. He is no longer a member of the government or even an MP.
3. He's a very rich Tory. I'm not sure many people were surprised by the information.

A huge list of accusations of affairs and inappropriate relationships. I chiding cheating on his now wife.

It’s pretty shocking reading! This is it in full:

https://pastebin.com/3DRZpzDP

He's not in political office anymore. So it's just a case of a rich man being a fucking twat. Which unfortunately is as news worthy as water being wet, the pope being Catholic and bears shitting in the woods.

One of the allegations is much worse than just being a twat.

Of course it might be untrue. Needs investigating.

However, don't hold your breath to see day after day of headlines screaming "Evening Standard scandal" or "investment bank Robey Warshaw scandal" while it's going on.

Reporting of this by the usual suspects has been that a meanie "poison pen" tried to spoil poor George's wedding.
https://news.sky.com/story/george-osborne-wants-police-to-investigate-after-poison-pen-email-on-eve-of-his-wedding-12917286

Osborne has not been an MP since 2017 & he isn’t in the Lords so he is a private citizen like you & me.
The e-mail makes some unpleasant allegations, but they are unsubstantiated, so unless & until someone comes forward to make a specific complaint that he has done something illegal, it’s a private matter.

He's currently chairman of the British Museum.

I know nothing about this, but read some of the email that a pp linked.

the thing is - whilst knowing nothing - the tone and extra information in the email is juvenile and vindictive and therefore detracts from the things that might be facts and detracts from the overall reliability of the email. I mean - asking people to get popcorn whilst reading?!

I would expect it to be more focussed and contain only facts - there are lots of rhetorical questions aimed directly at GO.

now I’m wondering if I’ve clicked on a virus!

It's really interesting isn't it? Since Saturday press coverage around his wedding and the email have been extremely favourable. Very well press managed. I presume he is very well connected and advised.
Even his upcoming podcast partner Ed Balls seems to be taking more flak than George since Sat.
However, I guess there's nothing to stand up an unsubstantiated email yet, so no further story.
Feels like the machinations of political and press power have been busy diverting our attention and obscuring lots this week though, not just this.

It's certainly interesting to compare and contrast the style of reporting of the allegations about Osborne with the allegations about the TV presenter.

Osborne is (perhaps falsely) accused of something significantly worse, with someone younger, than the TV presenter is accused of.

In the TV presenter's case, the fact that the allegation was first raised some weeks ago (and was being investigated) has been posed as a cover up.

In Osborne's case, the fact that the allegation was made previously is being described as harassment and cyberbullying.

Both Osborne and the TV presenter need investigating, and it may turn out neither has done anything criminal, rather than sleazy and bringing their respective employers into disrepute.

But like I say, the way difference in the way some of the press are reporting the two cases is educational.

^ This

Because it's just a poison pen letter, lots of allegations but with absolutely no evidence to back any of it up, and could quite easily be completely fabricated.

Hmm, I wonder if there’s anything the Sun might have published over the last week that’s taken the media’s focus elsewhere.
I’m stumped. Anyone?!?

Of course the Osborne letter could contain fabrications.

So could the allegations against the TV presenter. Not least because the person alleged to be the victim has said outright the allegations are, and I quote, "rubbish", and that they had told The Sun this before publication. Of course parts of that could also be untrue.

Both cases need to be investigated.

Probably because there was so much waffle it was hard to read

I gave up

Like what? There's millions of stuff they could report. Be specific.

If only a newspaper had picked out the important bits for you and made them a front-page headline for three days running.

That might have caught your interest.

Osbourne should be in jail for what he did to this country as Chancellor, he is an evil piece of work.

Austerity is the root cause behind most of the UKs problems, his only saving grace is he tried to stop the even worse David Cameron from having a EU vote.

These allegations come as no surprise, in different life, he'd be another Andrew Tate.

Who cares? Nobody's opinions matter less than an ex-MP and Cabinet Minister's