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Osborne email - why no bigger outcry

44 replies

Loopylooni · 12/07/2023 07:18

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?

OP posts:
Hellomaisie · 12/07/2023 07:19

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

Hellomaisie · 12/07/2023 07:26

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.

Piscesmumma1978 · 12/07/2023 07:27

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

Loopylooni · 12/07/2023 09:36

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

OP posts:
hopeishere · 12/07/2023 09:38

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.

Quitelikeit · 12/07/2023 09:39

What is this email about?

Aaron95 · 12/07/2023 09:41
  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.
hopeishere · 12/07/2023 09:42

Quitelikeit · 12/07/2023 09:39

What is this email about?

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

Chewbaccaslime · 12/07/2023 09:44

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.

PerkingFaintly · 12/07/2023 09:55

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

George Osborne 'really upset' by 'poison pen' email as he marries former adviser Thea Rogers

George Osborne and his now wife Thea Rogers were said to be "really upset and distressed" after a "poison pen" email was sent to expected wedding guests on the eve of their wedding.

https://news.sky.com/story/george-osborne-wants-police-to-investigate-after-poison-pen-email-on-eve-of-his-wedding-12917286

BarelyLiterate · 12/07/2023 09:57

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.

PerkingFaintly · 12/07/2023 09:59

He's currently chairman of the British Museum.

ejbaxa · 12/07/2023 10:04

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!

Parisj · 12/07/2023 10:07

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.

PerkingFaintly · 12/07/2023 10:08

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.

Missingmyusername · 12/07/2023 10:10

BarelyLiterate · 12/07/2023 09:57

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.

^ This

DamaskRosie · 12/07/2023 10:10

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.

BoredofToday · 12/07/2023 10:10

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?!?

PerkingFaintly · 12/07/2023 10:21

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.

TheSeaDoesntKnowMyName · 12/07/2023 10:36

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

I gave up

hopeishere · 12/07/2023 10:37

BoredofToday · 12/07/2023 10:10

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?!?

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

PerkingFaintly · 12/07/2023 10:40

TheSeaDoesntKnowMyName · 12/07/2023 10:36

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

I gave up

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.

Alexandra2001 · 12/07/2023 10:43

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.

SgtPercyTwentyman · 12/07/2023 10:44

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

Swipe left for the next trending thread