Gideon Oliver Osborne is an interesting chap.
Firstly, he would prefer it if you called him something else by George!
In fairness, he had it tough in his earlier years, first public school and then on to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he read Modern History.
While there he was a member of the Bullingdon Club.
In this notorious photo, there are two future Prime Ministers.
Here’s young Gideon in his Bully Days.
You might have come across plain old George Osborne as the Chancellor of the Exchequer (2010–2016).
After that, he then earned an honest crust as the editor Evening Standard.
He had this piece in the same Blatt today.
This observation on the constitutional status of Narne Arne post-Brexit is worth looking at:
“Northern Ireland is already heading for the exit door. By remaining in the EU single market, it is for all economic intents and purposes now slowly becoming part of a united Ireland. Its prosperity now depends on its relationship with Dublin (and Brussels), not London. The politics will follow.
“Northern Irish unionists always feared the mainland was not sufficiently committed to their cause. Now their short-sighted support for Brexit (and unbelievably stupid decision to torpedo Theresa May’s deal that avoided separate Irish arrangements) has made those fears a reality. It pains me to report that most here and abroad will not care. “
The following par then attends to the situation in Fair Caledonia:
“Scotland is an altogether different matter. Its history is our history. Its contribution to the world through its literature and philosophy, exploration and art, is our contribution. Its departure — with no disrespect to the Welsh — would represent the end of the United Kingdom.”
It is clearly Gideon’s view that the Six Counties can happily feck off and no great mischief!
However, he continued on the subject of the Scots leaving Britain in an act of secession:
“The rest of the world would instantly see that we were no longer a front-rank power, or even in the second row. We would instead be one of the great majority of countries who are on the receiving end of the decisions made by a few, subject to the values of others. We would become another historically interesting case study in how successful nations can perform unexpected acts of national suicide.”
With growing evidence of support for a second independence referendum in Scotland Gideon has a cunning plan:
“Refuse to hold a referendum. It’s the only sure way you won’t lose one. Yes, the SNP will be in full cry — but so what?”
As I wrote in a Scottish newspaper thirty-five years ago, if push comes to shove in Scotland on the issue of independence the chaps in London have a readymade pro-Union biddable mob waiting at Ibrox.
That view might have seemed fanciful or alarmist in the 1980s.
However, by that time I had seen the British state up close and personal in Kitsonian mode in the Six Counties.
If Gideon gets his way, then the democratic will of the Scottish people will be simply ignored at Westminster.
As for the Ibrox lynch mob, well I think that the Bullingdon Boys are rather fond of having such readily deployable “oiks” if required.
Indeed, the entire scenario seems worthy of a political thriller set during the IndyRef 2 period.
Well, that’s what I thought, so Native Shore is out this summer.
If you liked The Squad, then you’ll get this.
I don’t know if there will be a sequel to IndyRef 1 though.
Gideon doesn’t seem keen.
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
All roads lead to the role of these two archaic Acts as both foundations and present day enablers of that stance and mindset: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMar/5-6/20
https://www.royal.uk/act-settlement-0
Both utilise the OO as an arms length militia in times of such need.
I stated 4 years ago on here Brexit would force the U.K. into saying Slán to Northern Ireland.
It’s been costing the UK Treasury £10bn every year just to maintain its grip on the (Last bastion of Empire) Province that’s £10bn and rising with absolutely no sign of let up.
Hence why you will begin to hear Tories talk more openly about the concept of handing it back.
Money talks after all.
To put it into perspective the proposed replacement of Trident would be paid off in under 20 years leaving another 10 years rent free.
It is a matter of when not if a United Ireland will become reality once again.
Now given that this is a certainty at some point in the very near future where do those that are currently pushing for Independence in Scotland suppose the majority of the hard line knuckle dragging Unionists will relocate post reunification?
Can you imagine a what a post Indy Scotland with that mob descending on it will look like?
I should imagine marching will become something of a Scottish tradition within no time at all and the site of Armed Police and Troops on the Streets not out of the question either as the small Catholic community (now even smaller in number) get to witness up front and personal the real face of a Sectarian Scotland rather than the wee tribute Act that’s been on show from the Brotherhood of Bam up til now?
One thing is for sure middle England won’t want them marching in their Streets every July waving their Flegs.
Think on and be careful what you wish for.
In 2016 1.6m Scots voted against brexit and 1m voted in favour.
In 2014 1.6m Scots voted for independence but 2m voted against it. The polls at the time suggested an even bigger lead for the pro independence movement than they do now.
When it comes this most important of all political votes, the silent majority stepped up and made their feelings clear when it mattered…..on voting day.
I would suggest this is not “the will of the Scottish people” at all, just the people who shout their mouths off and take part in polls.
Very well put and correct.
I thought 1.2m Scots voted for Brexit. The SNP constant nonsense that Scots didn’t vote for Brexit isn’t true. Over a million scots voted for it and want it and are happy with it.
We also voted overwhelmingly to remain in the UK when the polls deceived wee Eck Salmond he had a 55% majority.
18 pro-independence polls in a row has obviously unsettled some people…
The vote on Europe wasn’t a National vote it was a vote by the Individual who happened to reside in a particular part of the U.K.
You were only part of the EU as a resident of the U.K. not Scotland.
There were more individual votes to leave than there were to remain.
The Indy Vote was a National vote by those living within the boundaries of Scotland.
Again there were more votes to remain part of the U.K. than there were to become an Independent Nation.
Asked a simple question and given a simple reply on both counts.
In or out?
In on one count and out on the other.
Gideon is an ex-Selfridge’s towel folder who changed his name to George. He failed to become a journalist. He is the maternal grandson of Clarisse Loxton Peacock, a Hungarian Jewish artist from Budapest. He failed a job interview at The Economist. The interviewer was Jewish. He doesn’t give a feck about Ireland. His paternal ancestors were politically powerful in Waterford in the 17th century. He has a minor degree in History. He should have studied a bit feckin’ harder.
“Ignore” is what England did after the 1918 General Election result in Ireland. Osbourne is probably calling it right as to what England will do.
So what will the Scots do then? And have they the balls to do it? Big questions, to be fair.
Ultimately I think Gideon is simply a political irrelevance these days. Largely because for all he was vindictive, callous, spiteful and entitled he was more competent than Boris and that simply won’t do in the nee regime.
Boris, like trump, is an unqualified, entitled, narcissist and will do whatever makes him look politically strong and decisive to his base. If Scots become enough of an anbarassne to to him for the Brexit mob, who genuinely believe they personally subsidise uppity Scots rather than Scotland being bc a net contributor to the union he’ll offer another referendum to appease his populist base in England.
Scotland is not a net contributor to the UK. The SNPs own Scottish accounts (GERS Report) signed off each year by ScotGov shows we get £16billion each year more from the UK than we bring in.
Scotland makes big from the UK.
Lies from you.
I’ll think you’ll find the accounts released by Westminster to be as reliable as attendance figures released by Celtic under the Kellys…
George is right that if Scotland becomes independent, it will be the end of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is, by definition, the Union of Scotland and England. But that semantic fact is not enough to deny a people their destiny.
George clearly has a problem with democracy. He only likes it when he is winning. He was part of a Cabinet that called the Brexit referendum in an attempt to neutralise UKIP and give his own party back an electoral edge it was losing. He and his mates gambled the future of the country for their own ends. He may well feel now that referendums are a bad idea if you find a potential outcome unpalatable – but the genie is out of the bottle. We have referendums. People expect them.
It is also an unpalatable truth that George and his mates on both sides of the house told Scotland in 2014 that the only way to safeguard Scotland’s place in the EU was to vote No. That premise no longer stands. There is a material difference now from 2014, and that is justification in itself for a new referendum – new evidence would, after all, justify a new court case. And if it cuts England off from the oil revenues, then that is just another consequence of England’s bizarre decision to vote for Brexit.
George might reflect that the UK as it is has the luxury of the referendum as method of seceding from unions. The Balkans were not so fortunate.
The UK will now thrive out of the EU.
We have the same free market EU trade deal as b4 without the rules and costs. Plus 40 trade deals with other nations. Scotland has minimal trade with EU anyway, trading mostly with England then rest of world.
Scottish oil is over. It’s done. Climate change and electric vehicles, emissions tax and low oil prices has finished it. All that’s left is a massive clean up bill the UK has to pay for that an Indy Scotland couldn’t afford.
Scottish oil brings in about a billion a year. In previous years it needed govt money to survive. The UK gives Scotland £16billion a year more than we earn.
SNP dum fuks lying to Scots to achieve dum fuk independence and wreck our Scotland.
You’d be more at home at Ibrox methinks…
Bowler hat, brogues and kow-towing to Her Germanic Majesty
Gideon is a #### of the highest order
He and Cameron imho lied to gain power in 2010 and proceed to do the opposite of everything they promised.
I sincerely hope one day Britain will become a Republic and Gideon et al will face trial.