The Evening Standard has announced the appointment of our MP George Osborne as its new Editor to succeed Sarah Sands.
The former Chancellor of the Exchequer will take up his role as editor in early May.
The Standard's says its schedule will enable Mr Osborne to edit the paper and continue to fulfil his other commitments, including as an MP; giving him the time to vote and contribute in Parliament in the afternoon after the paper has gone to print, and be in his constituency. He will edit the paper an average of four days a week.
George Osborne said: "This is such an exciting and challenging job and I'm thrilled to take it on. The Evening Standard is a great paper, testimony to the hard work of Sarah Sands and the impressive team, and to the investment of its owners. I look forward to working with, learning from and leading this team of dedicated professionals.
"Growing up as a Londoner, I've always known that the Evening Standard is an institution that plays a huge part in the life of the city and its people. Now it is a great honour that I can play a part as leader of the editorial team making the Evening Standard the definitive voice of the world's most exciting city.
"I am proud to be a Conservative MP, but as editor and leader of a team of dedicated and independent journalists, our only interest will be to give a voice to all Londoners. We will be fearless as a paper fighting for their interests. We will judge what the government, London's politicians and the political parties do against this simple test: is it good for our readers and good for London? If it is, we'll support them. If it isn't we'll be quick to say so.
"So much is now at stake about the future of our country and its capital city. I will remain in Parliament, where that future is debated. I was elected by my constituents in Tatton to serve them and I intend to fulfil that promise. I remain passionate about the Northern Powerhouse and will continue to promote that cause. Right from the first speech I gave about the North of England, I've said that London needs a successful north and the north benefits from its links to a global city like London. It's not a zero-sum game, but quite the opposite."
Evening Standard proprietor, Evgeny Lebedev said: "In George, we have appointed someone of huge political achievement, and economic and cultural authority. Once he put himself forward for the position, he was the obvious choice. I am proud to have an Editor of such substance, who reinforces the Evening Standard's standing and influence in London and whose political viewpoint - liberal on social issues and pragmatic on economic ones - closely matches those of many of our readers."
Patti Goddard, President of the Tatton Conservative Association, said "It's exciting that George has got this new big role in our public life. We in the Tatton Conservatives fully support him. He's a hard-working constituency MP. In the last couple of weeks alone he's being working with local schools on their concerns about the funding formula, and dealing with some tricky constituency cases. The fact he's editing the Standard in the weekday mornings won't affect that at all - after all, being Chancellor was a 24/7 job."
As required of former ministers, Mr Osborne is seeking the advice of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments on his appointment.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
How low can you sink?
I know how many hours a week I work, including evenings and weekends, to feel that I justify residents supporting me in my election and I would assume the role of an MP should multiply this many times.
I agree with Mr Roeves, if this is the path Mr Osborne has chosen to take he should resign as an MP.
Cllr Toni Fox - Independent
Dean Row Ward, Wilmslow
I've read about this "Gig" economy where people have to have two or three jobs in order to make ends meet.
If it's acceptable to be Chancellor (or Prime Minister) as well as being a "full time MP" then surely being editor of a regional newspaper is a less onerous job than the one of being responsible for the nation's finances? And judge him by his performance rather than by the outdated notion that a job is about the number of hours worked rather than what is actually accomplished.
That said, I couldn't and wouldn't do it, my concept of work/life balance is clearly different from his. And it gives him a way out when his constituency is abolished/merged in 2020, which he supports although I don't.
I do appreciate MPs of whatever party who are regularly in their constituencies, speaking to the public, working in MP's surgeries to help us, listening to our needs too, and not only doing photo calls with children and big business. I think he should do the honest things - which the MPs for Copeland and for Stoke did, when they got new jobs, and resign.
Then can we have another independent who listens more and represents us all as Martin Bell did?
Do we need to organise a campaign/public meetings to air this all or are our local press going to be able to cover it well enough?
Come back Martin Bell !
"Osborne is already paid £650,000 a year for one day’s work a week for fund manager BlackRock. He has earned £800,000 for 15 speaking engagements in the last year, collects a £120,000 a year stipend from a US thinktank and has a book deal on top of his £75,000 MP’s salary".
Now add editor of the Evening Standard on top that. Poor Gideon.
In the early days he said he needed to get back to London to see his children, then later as Chancellor he had to return to London to deal with affairs of State, and doubtless now he will have to get back to London to edit The London Evening Standard.
Therefore it is reasonable to ask whether Osborne taking up this latest job will have any impact whatsoever on Tatton.
So; WTC and CEC Cllrs- how do you feel about this situation Gidiot has placed us in? Feel free to step forward asap to distance yourselves, because the elections are coming soon...
I would be prepared to have our previous Independent MP step in for as many hours as Gidiot put into the constituency job, same pay, same hours as he put in. i.e. almost nothing per week.
Time for another independent.
Rather than stand up for their voters they prefer to keep a low profile by saying nowt in preference to offending the party.
This non action tells the electorate all it needs to know about just where the Conservative councillors stand. They have done and will continue to act, i.e.speak & vote, in struct accordance with the party's policies. The voters are just the means to the end, after elections our concerns are easily dismissed & ignored if not in accord with the Party's needs.
So it was refreshing to read Wilmslow's ONLY independent CE councillor, Cllr Toni Fox of Residents of Wilmslow (Dean Row) expressing her concerns and on behalf of very many of her constituents with our MPs job chasing.
Cllr Fox has yet again made the point that what Wilmslow needs are yet more independent representatives on Cheshire East Council, representatives who will speak out for their electorate.
George Osborne & the Conservative CE voting fodder are becoming RoWs best recruiting sergeants.
If you feel you can add to the RoW independent fight "come and join us".
With your help we can make Wilmslow a beacon of RoW independents flying the RoW flag.
So do tell us all just what are "the real issues that face the electorate"???
No point in making bland, meaningless rhetoric if not backed by any evidence.
So pray tell us.
Meanwhile they demonstrably waste our taxes and then increase the levy by a 5% saving !! So they cant get the maths right either.
Cheshire East Council has a Conservative majority, Cabinet members are hand picked Conservatives, each committee has a majority of Conservatives and all portfolio holders are Conservatives - no prizes for guessing which political party makes all the decisions (disabled access and car parks included).
Thanks for your concern Julie but I can re-assure you that I am capable of posting comments AND working on behalf of my residents!
Cllr Toni Fox - Independent
Dean Row Ward - Wilmslow
"Democracy wins. For the independents....I'm sorry but the usual clap trap predicated mainly on green belt protection for fear of damaging a blade of grass is a joke. I'm so fed up hearing this tripe .... development....collusion...conspiracy theories. It's absolute garbage. Get some credible policies...articulate them well and tell us what you will do other the protecting the green belt and opposing almost every development. It's emabarrasing. A bunch of spoilt teenagers rambling on about green belt...blah blah. We get it. It needs better protection...a clear plan. Pontificating about the height buildings...complaing about parking...traffic...handforth dean...conversions of dental surgeries to apartments ....it is quite frankly absurd. I may be lone voice on here. But its about as engaging as the lords voting on Brexit."
This is either an excellent free-thinking rant, or you are off your medication; again.
Pure poetry in the modern idiom- have you considered publishing a book?
One might only surmise that Putin's dark operatives were involved and hacked the election; presumably as a try-out for the US Presidential travesty? Allegedly.
Don, any comment?
came from. However, can you tell us what response you've received from all
these people you've been in contact with and why, as our 'representatives '
ward councillors weren't aware of such an important cabinet decision when it
was made 3-4 weeks ago?
If you are referring to the Bus Service Review Project report made to Cabinet on 7th February this as the title suggests is a review and has no relevance to the decision made by Stagecoach to withdraw the 378 bus service.
When a difinitive decision has been made by the Council I will be informing residents in my ward who have contacted me about this as I am sure your ward representative will contact you if you have registered your concerns.
Toni Fox - Independent
Dean Row Ward, Wilmslow
I wasn't referring to the cabinet meeting of 7th Feb, I was referring to the telephone conversation that the chair of Handforth Parish Council had with ANSA when she was told that CeC had been informed 3 weeks before that the service was to be curtailed.
It's reassuring to know that Cheshire East haven't yet made a definitive decision regarding this though and I look forward to hearing that they make the right one for the residents.
"....why, as our 'representatives' ward councillors weren't aware of such an important Cabinet decision made 3-4 weeks ago."
I'm uncertain how this can be confused with a telephone conversation between a parish councillor and Cheshire East Council that took place last week.
You had either not read, or misunderstood, the report presented to Cabinet as a result of which you publicly posted misleading and erroneous information which is extremely unhelpful on such an emotive issue to many residents.
We are all on the same side aren't we? Trying to save a bus service.
Cllr Toni Fox - Independent
Dean Row Ward, Wilmslow
PS. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for information not to be passed through to ward councillors on issues that may affect the residents in their ward. This is not the fault of ward councillors, we are as unhappy about it as residents, and something we raise again, and again.
I would like to think we are on the same side which is why I asked for an update on what information you have received from the people you've contacted about this. In the meantime I can assure you that we are continuing to gather support from the many hundreds of residents who are signing the petition Janet Taylor has produced.
http://bbc.in/2n67ouZ
Do the honourable thing !