George Osborne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Osborne
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Official portrait, 2015
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| First Secretary of State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 8 May 2015 – 13 July 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | William Hague | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Damian Green | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 11 May 2010 – 13 July 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Alistair Darling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Philip Hammond | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of Parliament for Tatton |
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| In office 7 June 2001 – 3 May 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Martin Bell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Esther McVey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Gideon Oliver Osborne
23 May 1971 London, England |
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| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses |
Frances Howell
(m. 1998; div. 2019)Thea Rogers
(m. 2023) |
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| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents | Sir Peter Osborne, 17th Baronet Felicity Loxton-Peacock |
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| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  |
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George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born 23 May 1971) is a British politician who has now retired from Parliament. He also worked as a newspaper editor. He is best known for being the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016. This is a very important job in the government, in charge of the country's money. He also served as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016.
George Osborne was a member of the Conservative Party. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tatton from 2001 to 2017. As Chancellor, he worked to reduce the government's debt and started the Northern Powerhouse plan.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Osborne was born Gideon Oliver Osborne in Paddington, London, on 23 May 1971. His father, Sir Peter Osborne, 17th Baronet, helped start a company called Osborne & Little that designs fabrics and wallpaper. His mother is Felicity Alexandra Loxton-Peacock.
When he was 13, Gideon decided he wanted to be known as George. He said it was his "small act of rebellion" because he didn't like the name Gideon. He chose George after his grandfather, who was a war hero.
George went to private schools: Norland Place School, Colet Court, and St Paul's School, London. In 1990, he started studying at the University of Oxford at Magdalen College, Oxford. He graduated in 1993 with a degree in Modern History.
After university, George wanted to become a journalist. He did some freelance work for The Daily Telegraph. Later, a friend told him about a research job at the Conservative Research Department.
Starting His Political Career
George Osborne joined the Conservative Research Department in 1994. He became the head of its political section. One of his first tasks was to observe the Labour Party Conference in 1994.
From 1995 to 1997, he worked as a special adviser to the Minister of Agriculture. He also worked at 10 Downing Street, which is where the Prime Minister lives and works. He helped Prime Minister John Major with his election campaign in 1997.
After the election, he worked for William Hague, who became the leader of the Conservative Party. George helped write speeches and was a political secretary. He even pretended to be Prime Minister Tony Blair to help William Hague prepare for weekly questions in Parliament.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In June 2001, George Osborne was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tatton, a place in Cheshire. He was the youngest Conservative MP in the House of Commons at that time.
He won the election with a large number of votes. He was re-elected in 2005 and again in 2010, each time with an even bigger lead.
Shadow Chancellor Role (2005–2010)
In 2004, the leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard, gave George Osborne an important job in the Shadow Cabinet. He became the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The Shadow Cabinet is a group of senior politicians from the main opposition party who "shadow" or watch over the government ministers.
After the 2005 election, Michael Howard promoted him to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. This meant he was the main opposition spokesperson on money matters. George Osborne was only 33 years old at the time.
He then helped David Cameron become the leader of the Conservative Party in 2005. When Cameron became leader, George Osborne stayed as the Shadow Chancellor.
George Osborne was interested in making taxes simpler. He set up a "Tax Reform Commission" to look into ways to create a "flatter, simpler" tax system. However, these specific ideas were not included in the Conservative Party's plans for the 2010 election.
Expenses and Rules
In 2009, George Osborne faced some questions about his expense claims as an MP. He had claimed money for mortgage payments on a property in Cheshire. An official report found that he had broken some rules, but it was "unintended and relatively minor." Osborne said he had received "flawed" advice and did not benefit personally.
Chancellor of the Exchequer (2010–2016)
On 11 May 2010, George Osborne was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. This is one of the most powerful jobs in the British government, responsible for the country's economy and finances. He took over this role after the 2010 general election.
As Chancellor, George Osborne had to deal with a large amount of government debt. He introduced policies to reduce spending and debt, which are known as "austerity measures."
In October 2010, he announced a limit on the total amount of benefits a family could receive from the government. He also said that wealthier people would no longer receive child benefit.
In 2012, Osborne reduced the highest rate of income tax for top earners. He also started the Northern Powerhouse initiative. This plan aimed to improve transport and boost science and technology in cities in the North of England to help the economy grow.
In 2013, the UK lost its AAA credit rating for the first time since 1978. This rating shows how financially stable a country is.
After the Conservatives won the 2015 election, David Cameron kept George Osborne as Chancellor. He also gave him the extra title of First Secretary of State.
In his 2016 budget, he introduced a sugar tax on sugary drinks. He also raised the amount of money people could earn before paying income tax.
After the UK voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, George Osborne promised to lower corporation tax even more. This was to encourage businesses to keep investing in the UK.
Political Ideas
George Osborne is seen as someone who supports social freedom and wants to reduce the size of the government. He is also a Eurosceptic, meaning he is cautious about the European Union.
He believes the British economy should not rely only on London. This is why he pushed for the Northern Powerhouse policy. He wanted to improve transport and invest in science and technology in the North of England.
Brexit
During the 2016 referendum, George Osborne strongly supported the UK remaining a member of the European Union.
Political Relationships
George Osborne and David Cameron were very close political partners. Many people thought Osborne might become the next leader of the Conservative Party if Cameron stepped down. However, after the 2016 vote to leave the European Union and Cameron's resignation, Osborne decided not to run for party leader. He said he was "not the person to provide the unity" his party needed.
After Being Chancellor (2016–2017)
On 13 July 2016, Theresa May became Prime Minister and removed George Osborne from his role as Chancellor. He returned to being a regular MP, known as a "backbencher."
In September 2016, he launched the Northern Powerhouse Partnership. This group brings together business leaders and politicians to help develop the North of England.
In February 2017, he took on a new part-time job as an adviser to BlackRock, a very large company that manages money. He earned a significant salary for working one day a week.
George Osborne announced in April 2017 that he would not stand for re-election as an MP in the 2017 general election. He said he wanted "new challenges" and didn't want to spend the rest of his life just being an "ex-chancellor."
Career After Parliament
Evening Standard Editor
Even while still an MP, George Osborne became the editor of the Evening Standard newspaper on 2 May 2017. Some people questioned this appointment because he didn't have much experience in journalism. They also worried about him being an MP and an editor at the same time.
He stepped down as editor in June 2020 to become editor-in-chief.
Other Roles
After leaving Parliament, George Osborne took on several other roles. He became a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He continued to advise BlackRock and also joined his brother's company, 9Yards Capital, as a partner and chairman.
In April 2021, he became an investment banker at a company called Robey Warshaw.
In June 2021, George Osborne was chosen to be the chairman of the British Museum. He officially started this role in October 2021.
Since 2022, he has also been a regular commentator on The Andrew Neil Show on Channel 4. In 2023, he started hosting an economics-focused podcast called Political Currency with Ed Balls.
Personal Life
George Osborne is the person who will inherit his family's title of baronet. This means he will become Sir George Osborne, 18th Baronet, after his father.
He married Frances Howell in 1998. They have two children, Luke and Liberty. In 2019, they announced they were getting divorced.
In 2018, George and his siblings found out that their maternal grandmother was Jewish. This means that, according to Jewish law, they are also Jewish.
In April 2021, George Osborne announced his engagement to Thea Rogers. She used to be his special adviser when he was Chancellor. They have two sons, Beau (born 2021) and Arthur (born 2022). They got married in July 2023.
Honours
- 13 May 2010: He was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This gives him the title "The Right Honourable" for life.
- 4 August 2016: He was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. This is a special honour that allows him to use the letters "CH" after his name.
Awards
- 2015: He received the British GQ Politician of the Year award.
See also
In Spanish: George Osborne para niños
- Osborne baronets
- United Kingdom government austerity programme
