why do people loathe George Osborne?

[VodkaAndTonic]

I have posted elsewhere on the politics threads about the election; you will see I am not a tory-voter....

But I genuinely have no idea why people reserve special opprobium for Osborne.

What's youre problem with him, other than him being called Gideon?

Genuine question.

He flipped his home and owes the tax-payer thousands.

and he's smarmy.

Oh yes, here we go - on sky news, of all places.

This is the man who's likely to be running the economy, apparently.

Apparently George Osborne's highest financial qualification is GCSE Maths. He did get a degree from Oxford in History, but had virtually no jobs becoming a career politician. It appalls me that a man with zero financial experience could be responsible for running this country's economy. Before anyone mentions it, similarly for Alistair Darling who is a lawyer not an economist/accountant!

I think CVs for all candidates at elections should be published and included with canvassing material put through doors. At least we would then have more idea if they are up to the job!

He is insincere, has a face made out of wax, he is unqualified to even open a bank account and he cheated on his expenses despite his vast inherited wealth.

Heaven help us if that sorry excuse for a politician becomes Chancellor

I do occasional recruitment for my firm. I have to say if I were recruiting for the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer, I would be looking for the following attributes:

1. Technical understanding (Fail)
2. Adaptability (Fail)
3. Broad based understanding (Fail)
4. Ability to relate to others (Fail)
5. Demonstrably living the values that the firm exemplifies (Pass)

So I would reject George Osborne for further interviews for the post in question

[Do you remember that John Major ran away from the circus to become an accountant? Don't you think that GO did the same when he changed his name from Gideon to George?]

I think it is slightly unfair to criticise him for changing his name, as he was 13 at the time, so it's not as if he did it for political reasons. But he does seem very callow, and it seems horribly unwise to have a chancellor with such limited experience right now. Of course this is true for most of the Tory front bench, and politicians in general are much less inclined to have experience outside of political circles now, which is also a bad development I think. The fact that he is such good buddies with Cameron is also worrying.