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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think being an MP is a full-time job and being Editor of The Standard is also a full-time job?

126 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 17/03/2017 11:19

Not for superman George Osborne, though. He has just been appointed Editor of the Standard and will continue as an MP. How delighted his constituents must be.

OP posts:

Zafodbeeblbrox10 · 17/03/2017 19:39

I'm Surprised he doesn't get on the board of coca-cola aswell.

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/03/2017 19:41

Nice to see a free and independent press acting impartially. One of the important checks and balances in a functional democracy.

bunnylove99 · 17/03/2017 19:46

I imagine they will have arranged things so it's not too taxing for him. It's his deputy/sub eds or whatever they are called I feel sorry for. Typical Tory mentality of thinking the best job of all is just to rake in as much cash as possible.

specialsubject · 17/03/2017 19:46

absolutely no shame.

I would boycott the paper but I'm not in London - and it is free anyway. Must be a lot of cash in advertising dating services and identical one-note pop stars, which is all that seems to be in it.

Choccywoccyhooha · 17/03/2017 19:53

Man's a tosser. So, if he thinks that being an MP is only about attending parliament in the afternoons, when does he intend to see his constituents?

PamplemousseRouge · 17/03/2017 19:55

Whaaaat??? Can't believe this! Also annoyed it's George Osborne, out of anyone. At least it's not Boris though. Although I guess Boris has a bit more journalism experience, at least!

SeaWitchly · 17/03/2017 20:03

I think this is absolutely appalling.

And if this doesn't make the voting public see the Conservatives for what they are - a money grabbing, unashamed old boys network picking of all the top jobs which they are vastly unqualified for

How can there not be a massive conflict of interest for George bloody Osborne to be a Conservative MP, an advisor to a global financial company AND editor of the flipping Evening Standard as well?

What a completely unethical cock up this is.

SeaWitchly · 17/03/2017 20:05

Oh yes, Boris is a cock too and also has his money grubbing fingers in all the pies.

But remember folks, we are all in this together

Elendon · 17/03/2017 20:05

No conflict of interest here. Move along now folks. Nothing more to see.

though it will be interesting to read the editorials post the cold shoulder from May

BreakWindandFire · 17/03/2017 20:12

I know the Standard is a West London Tory rag, but appointing a serving member of the ruling Conservative party is ridiculous. But this isn't his only conflict of interest. He's also doing a day a week for Blackrock Investment. Doesn't this damage the impartiality of the Standard's City pages.

Well, at least it's not Michael Gove!

Rainbunny · 17/03/2017 20:16

It is a huge conflict of interest! How can this possibly be allowed?

egosumquisum1 · 17/03/2017 20:17

How can there not be a massive conflict of interest for George bloody Osborne to be a Conservative MP, an advisor to a global financial company AND editor of the flipping Evening Standard as well

No swamp here to drain

SeaWitchly · 17/03/2017 20:17

It is completely and utterly disgraceful BreakWind.

How on earth could this ever be justified?

I know that people are considered paranoid if they have a sense that the media may just have a biased pro Tory agenda.... Well, at least this alleged Tory rag's agenda is now firmly out in the open with this appointment!

TeaAddict235 · 17/03/2017 20:20

This is clearly an example of the ruling classes occupying the top level jobs. Was there absolutely no other deserving being who could do the job of Editior?

Then they moan that the "people " don't trust them. Well, no if you go from good to better to best jobs before I can get my shoes on.

StillDrivingMeBonkers · 17/03/2017 20:21

If I claimed a full time salary but only showed up for afternoons I'd be done for fraud.

Some days the HoC doesn't sit until 2.30pm, other days it doesn't finish until 10.30pm

BloodyEatSomething · 17/03/2017 20:23

It's laughable isn't it. These are the people who not long ago just had to get a payrise the likes of which ordinary people have never seen ever, at a time when the rest of us are suffering freezes or cuts, because they work so hard. At that job. So how do they get the time for all these extras?

It also shows up the hypocrisy of our entire employment system when someone can claim and be paid huge amounts of money for a 'full time' job i. the higher echelons that clearly isn't.

The blatant disregard and total disconnection of these upper tiers from any kind of normalcy is beyond disgusting.

38 degrees have sent me a link to a petition against it, if anyone's interested. It's at you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/george-osborne-pick-a-job

BreakWindandFire · 17/03/2017 20:23

He's lining up to run for Mayor of London isn't he?

His Tatton constituency is likely to be abolished by the forthcoming boundary changes, and the Standard turned into the Evening Goldsmith during the last Mayoral campaign. He can attack Sadiq Khan every night until 2020.

BloodyEatSomething · 17/03/2017 20:27

If anyone has got any plans or ideas for how we can reclaim the whole concept of British democracy in the face of these kind of vested interests - another politics/ media marriage no less - I'd really like to know!

StillDrivingMeBonkers · 17/03/2017 20:32

He's lining up to run for Mayor of London isn't he?

No, that's a two bob job with no power.

According to the political commentator on the radio, he's biding his time until TM fails, then he will launch his bid for leadership, once the Brexit fiasco is behind us all. The editor thing, he always wanted to be journalist, couldn't get an internship (so kind of blows out the conspiracy theories about jobs for the boys if he couldn't pull strings) and this is an ambition to be fulfilled.

Personally I've always wondered how any cabinet member can run a country AND fulfil constituents needs. I would doubt it can. That's why you have flunkies.

egosumquisum1 · 17/03/2017 20:35

Is he an example of the gig economy?

Picking up work as he goes along?

BreakWindandFire · 17/03/2017 20:45

The editor thing, he always wanted to be journalist, couldn't get an internship (so kind of blows out the conspiracy theories about jobs for the boys if he couldn't pull strings)

Well he was rejected from the Times graduate trainee scheme, and got through to the interview stage with the Economist graduate scheme where he was interviewed by a former (public) schoolmate. That didn't work out so he used connections to get a freelance gig on the diary column of the Telegraph. You don't get that if you went to Scumbag comp. A personal connection then got him a role with Conservative Central Office and the rest is history.

Funnily enough, at the same time as the announcement of his editorship, Theresa May was making a speech on meritocracy and building a fairer society!

egosumquisum1 · 17/03/2017 20:54

How do you apply for a job where you have no experience but still get it?

Did he meet the essential criteria?
Did he meet other criteria?

What skills, knowledge and understanding does he bring to the role as editor?

SeaWitchly · 17/03/2017 20:56

The editor thing, he always wanted to be journalist, couldn't get an internship (so kind of blows out the conspiracy theories about jobs for the boys if he couldn't pull strings)

Do you know this for certain or is this hearsay StillDriving?

And perhaps he was just the most linguistically challenged out of that current batch of 'jobs for the boys'... someone had to miss out and it was poor George this time
Doesn't seem to be doing too badly now when, despite his failures as Chancellor and leaving the UK economy in a worse position than he found it, he is able to waltz into a very lucrative financial advisor role. I am sure that has nothing to do with his connections in government

MrsDoylesladder · 17/03/2017 21:00

He used to be my MP. Trying to prove himself for ages as a local MP to reinforce taking it back from Independent. He 's coasting in a safe Tory seat.

PossumInAPearTree · 17/03/2017 21:20

HoC may not sit until 2:30pm but I would expect that most days in the mornings MPs have other work to do. Answering correspondence from constituents, meeting them, researching issues they raise, reading up on upcoming debates, etc.

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