George Osborne: Beyond e-mails & Just Stop Oil he’s still pushing austerity
George Osborne, the former Tory Chancellor, and architect of austerity, got married on 8th July. Beforehand an email circulated to guests and the media. I have no idea what was in it but whatever Osborne’s personal life may or may not consist of the real issue is his time as Chancellor.
There was also a protest by Just Stop Oil who peacefully scattered some orange confetti. Rather appropriate one might think. While the wedding was a private matter the appearance of photos of it in the media underlines that it was only notionally so.
Protests at the impact of climate change and political inaction on it is important. As important is that Osborne is still promoting austerity economics.
He is involved with a podcast which features Ed Balls(a guest at the wedding obviously along with the more frontline political figure of Yvette Cooper). Balls is meant to oppose his austerity politics but the difference between the two often seems to be marginal
Since the departure of Truss Osborne has reappeared as an advisor to Jeremy Hunt. However he is also reportedly friendly with Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves
Osborne quit as an MP after falling out with Theresa May. He subsequently became Editor of the Evening Standard, picked up various roles in the City which involved doing not much for lots of money. Latterly he also fronts up the British Museum.
Osborne is an historian and heir to a wallpaper business and has no particular qualifications in respect of running the economy. His 2012 Budget for example was a disaster. He still claims that after the 2008 financial crash there was no alternative to his austerity policies. No alternative that is if the policy was to promote the wealth of the rich by bashing the poor.
Commentators seem to think that while Hunt may be inclined to Austerity 2 history won’t be able to repeat itself quite in the same way. Rather as a piece in the London Review of Books pointed out Osborne’s talent is not really in economics but in political manoeuvres. His ability to find measures which the opposition struggle to deal with is his strength, and with an opponent like Keir Starmer that could prove very useful.
*Just Stop Oil have said they did not organise the protest although they support it
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