George Osborne’s latest job is editor of the Evening Standard
Former chancellor George Osborne has been appointed as the new editor of the Evening Standard, its owner has said.
Osborne, who worked for the Telegraph before running for Parliament, will keep his job as an MP. A source told CityAM it was likely Osborne will edit the Standard four days a week on average.
“So much is now at stake about the future of our country and its capital city," he told the Evening Standard.
"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.”
In a series of tweets, Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev said: "I am proud to have an editor of such substance, who reinforced The Standard's standing and influence in London… George is London through and through."
4/… George is London through and through and I am confident he is the right person to build on the fantastic legacy of Sarah Sands.
— Evgeny Lebedev (@mrevgenylebedev) March 17, 2017
The new job comes on top of Osborne's recently-announced £650,000-a-year appointment at BlackRock, where he will act as an adviser on European politics, China's economy and retirement planning, plus his many public speaking gigs.
The appointment will reunite Osborne with his former coalition colleague Nick Clegg, who, according to the register of interests, earns something like £150 for his columns.
Twitter reacts: This is how the news went down with politicians and journalists on social media