tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post4405596583567645404..comments2024-03-17T00:10:44.022+00:00Comments on From Arse To Elbow: In Defence of George OsborneDavid Timoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03568348438980023320noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-78448784271348076962017-03-20T16:00:06.227+00:002017-03-20T16:00:06.227+00:00"... the ancient moral virtues of the British..."... the ancient moral virtues of the British aristocracy ..."<br /><br />Well at least that made me laugh.gastro georgenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-3487736836816637112017-03-20T14:35:51.647+00:002017-03-20T14:35:51.647+00:00George Osborne's problems are related to his r...George Osborne's problems are related to his relative youth (45 years 10 months). The sinecure on offer from Black Rock is just the standard reward for a retiring high office holder who has not rocked the boat. The trouble is that Osborne may have a second political act if he can withstand the pressure to resign his seat. Traditionally a conservative politicain would attempt to become financially indepentent before beoming an MP. (Heseltine, David Davis). Or marry money or a high earning spouse (Thatcher, May, Blair). With the rise of the special advisor route into politics you have to start young or you will never make it. If you have spent your youth on low political pay how can you cash in?<br /><br />A second discordant note is the Russian connection. Lebedev seems to have just bought a politican. A routine transaction in Moscow no doubt. This forces the comparison of our own ancient democracy and the Russian nexus of money and power. How much better is the UK system really?<br /><br />Thirdly greed. Does George Osborne really need all that money? Is noblesse oblige completely dead today? Was it always a myth? As Tony Blair shows if you have power you naturally expect the extreme wealth that should go with it. Are elite British Public schools playing a part here. The children of the Bitish ruling class are now going to school with the sons and daughters of Russian oligarchs, Chinese communist party officials and assorted third world despots. Instead of being inculcated with the ancient moral virtues of the British aristocracy perhaps our future rulers will think more like their international peers. Perhaps there was never that much difference between them. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-22219196985428265632017-03-20T12:20:04.677+00:002017-03-20T12:20:04.677+00:00I think a lot of criticism of Osborne is more on t...I think a lot of criticism of Osborne is more on the lines of cronyism and the fact that someone can get paid £200,000 for part-time work in a field in which he has little experience just because he is an entrenched member of the political, social and economic establishment. The very fact that Osborne is capable of filling so many jobs suggests that they are 'easy' and that connections trump any kind of competency. Ben Philliskirknoreply@blogger.com