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Saturday 8 July 2023

George Osborne Streisands Himself

He was all but forgotten after a failed career in politics, followed by a failed career as a newspaper editor, but such is the lack of thinking things through by the Rt Hon Gideon George Oliver Osborne, heir to the Seventeenth Baronet, that he has returned to centre stage through his decision to go running to the Police over an apparently anonymous and abusive email.


What has happened can be put directly: Osborne is getting married (again) today somewhere in the Somerset town of Bruton. Someone has sent some of those invited to attend an email which apparently makes a number of potentially highly defamatory accusations about the former MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer. But that was not yet a story.

Osborne made it a story by calling the cops, who might not bother themselves turning out if you or I had their houses burgled, got robbed in the street, or were the victims of any kind of scam, but for him, they have begun an investigation. Or, as Jonn Elledge put it, “George Osborne has done a thing that has given broadcast media an excuse to report on this story without risking breach of defamation laws. Well done there”. Now it’s a story.

Now the email is finding its way on to social media (sorry, no link provided for obvious reasons). As a result, and that Osborne and his bride to be have commented on said email, the email is now A Real Story. So media outlets are reporting on it. He’s Streisanded himself, as Sky News has reported.

George Osborne and fiancee Thea Rogers are said to be ‘really upset and distressed’ after a ‘poison pen’ email was sent to guests due to attend his wedding on Saturday”. Not half as “really upset and distressed” as all those 50-something women who had their state pensions taken away into the distance after yet more of that needless austerity was imposed on them.

But do go on. “Former chancellor George Osborne has called in police to investigate alleged online harassment after a so-called ‘poison pen’ email was sent to guests due to attend his wedding this weekend. Friends say the email - which has since been posted online - is part of a ‘long-term campaign’ of abuse in which an individual has ‘made up rumours’ and engaged in ‘cyber bullying’”. “Friends” meaning Osborne himself, or with his approval.


There was more. “It is understood the couple believe they know the identity of the person behind the email - which was sent to several politicians and journalists on Thursday afternoon.The individual is not thought to be directly connected to Mr Osborne, and their specific motivation is also unclear.

And more. “Police are said to be investigating the case, with legal action also ongoing”. Over at the Guardian, Aditya Chakrabortty observed that Osborne was teaming up with “Auguste” Balls to front a new podcast, mentioning as an aside “scientists’ research that shows 300,000 extra deaths were caused by his austerity programme”. Which is translating into one thing.

No-one should be surprised that one thing is an almost total lack of sympathy for Osborne and Ms Rogers on their big day. One Tweeter musedBruton is where I grew up. Where I went to school. I sang in the choir of the church where George Osborne will be married today. My grandparents are buried in that churchyard. But I was priced out of living there by the incoming money”.

Another observed with relish thatNever has a best man been given so much material”. Then cameCongratulations to George Osborne who may or may not be getting married today”. OUCH! And on top of that, “George Osborne is having a very bad (wedding) day. [The] email was sent to *all* his guests”.

Byline Times’ Adam Bienkov moved the focus: “Forget the email. The most telling story about George Osborne is that time he forced construction workers to dig a hole so he could hide from the disabled protesters whose benefits he'd just cut”. One observer reckonedEditors should get together and release a charity version of Streisand’s Send In The Clowns and dedicate it to George Osborne”. Might be a bit spicy down Bruton this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Osborne will be quite certain that all the allegations made in that email are totally false. Cos he’d be well in the shit if they weren’t.


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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing the unread email accuses Gideon George Oliver Osborne, heir to the Seventeenth Baronet, of being a hypocritical gobshite.

Still, it's probably better than an accusation of mass murdering 300,000 vulnerable innocents.

Not that any of it would penetrate the thick insensibility of a typical suited up public school tory thug.

God knows Osborne has it coming, whatever it is.

Andy McDonald said...

Having read what alleges to be a transcript, it's nothing particularly surprising. Just two really awful people who are made for each other. Much of it has been alluded to over the years, all I'll say is that Petronella Wyatt was right about the private lives of the Cameron set.

Mr Larrington said...

Petronella Wyatt, though, is someone who had (presumably consensual) sex with Alexander Boris Bloody Stupid de Piffle Johnson, so I'm not entirely convinced that she’s even sane, let alone a reliable source.

Andy McDonald said...

Well, Mr Larrington, I'll just say that she's eminently qualified to comment on the matter.

Anyway, for perhaps a more reliable source, try Sasha Swire's 2020 stocking filler (available at all good bookshops, most crap ones, and WH Smiths). Although Lady Swire is not the source of the email in question here.