George Gideon Oliver Osborne

George apparently was once known as Gideon but didn’t like it so he changed it to George. It wouldn’t have anything to do with Gideon being known as ‘The Destroyer’ in Hebrew would it? His revelation that he does not pay the 50p tax rate astonished many and confirmed what many others already knew, that he was one of the children of Thatcher who are selfish, greedy bastards. Not sure what the ancient Hebrew is for that. 

Even the right wing Daily Wail were not impressed. This is from their online site.

“I'm not wealthy enough to pay the 50p tax rate' claims George Osborne (who earns minister's salary, rents out £2m Notting Hill home and has £4m stake in the family business)

• George Osborne earns £134,565 as Chancellor - just over £15,000 short of 50p tax threshold
• He rents out Notting Hill family home while living in 10 Downing Street flat
• Osborne has 15% stake in family wallpaper business which is worth an estimated £4million
• It is believed that he last year sold £600,000 property in his constituency in Tatton, Cheshire
• Osborne stands to inherit £4million from a family trust fund - dodging £1.6million inheritance tax
• Chancellor faced claims he 'flipped' his second home at height of the expenses scandal” Daily Wail 23/3/12

One of the advantages of online news is that it allows for almost instant feedback from readers. There has been a deluge of comment from Wail readers, the massive majority up in arms and outraged. Comments include ‘He has just lost the next election’ and ‘These Tory Toffs have not got a clue what it is like to live on an average wage.’

The reaction to the Budget did not go quite to plan either. Having assiduously managed the news beforehand, the one unknown element was seized on by the media and portrayed as ‘Grannies paying for millionaire tax cuts.’

This was beautifully portrayed in today’s Independent by Dave Brown.