Osborne positions himself to succeed Cameron

AFP, MANCHESTER: British finance minister George Osborne has emerged as a potential successor to David Cameron as head of the Conservatives amid buzz at the party's annual conference over who the favourite might be.
"He looks at the future, he does not let things like party divides prevent him from doing the right thing, he's a future leader," trainee teacher Tiffany Taylor, 23, told AFP at this week's conference.
Cameron ignited a behind-the-scenes succession race when he announced earlier this year that he would step down by 2020, before Britain's next general election is due.
Osborne, the prime minister's closest ally, is seen as his chosen successor and received an enthusiastic reception at the Conservative conference, with his speech being followed by two standing ovations.
"He always speaks to the country," said Drusilla Summers, 31, a project manager.
"He is the opposite of the impression that some people have of the Conservative party... I'm not rich, I'm not from a so-called privileged background and George Osborne understands that."
This is the message that Osborne hopes to convey. Of aristocratic descent and with a large personal fortune, Osborne has vowed to fight for the workers of Britain.
"We are now the party of work, the only true party of labour," he told the conference this week.
Osborne, 44, who has been Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2010, has made inroads into the traditional territory of the opposition Labour party with recent policy announcements, perhaps with an eye to broadening his appeal.
These include an increase of the minimum wage to £9 by 2020 for those aged over 25 from £6.50 currently and an infrastructure
planning commission headed by a Labour peer. Osborne has also spearheaded a "Northern Powerhouse" plan to boost the economies of the northern cities of England, traditional Labour strongholds that have lagged behind London.
Another bid to burnish his prime ministerial image was a five-day visit to China with a full entourage, and a personal interview with the Mail on Sunday in which he spoke about his family, his weight struggles and liking for rap music.

 

Osborne positions himself to succeed Cameron

AFP, MANCHESTER: British finance minister George Osborne has emerged as a potential successor to David Cameron as head of the Conservatives amid buzz at the partys annual conference over who the favourite might be. He looks at the future, he does not let things like party divides prevent him from doing the right thing, hes a future leader, trainee teacher Tiffany Taylor, 23, told AFP at this weeks conference. Cameron ignited a behind-the-scenes succession race when he announced earlier this year that he would step down by 2020, before Britains next general election is due. Osborne, the prime ministers closest ally, is seen as his chosen successor and received an enthusiastic reception at the Conservative conference, with his speech being followed by two standing ovations. He always speaks to the country, said Drusilla Summers, 31, a project manager. He is the opposite of the impression that some people have of the Conservative party... Im not rich, Im not from a so-called privileged background and George Osborne understands that. This is the message that Osborne hopes to convey. Of aristocratic descent and with a large personal fortune, Osborne has vowed to fight for the workers of Britain. We are now the party of work, the only true party of labour, he told the conference this week. Osborne, 44, who has been Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2010, has made inroads into the traditional territory of the opposition Labour party with recent policy announcements, perhaps with an eye to broadening his appeal. These include an increase of the minimum wage to 9 by 2020 for those aged over 25 from 6.50 currently and an infrastructure planning commission headed by a Labour peer. Osborne has also spearheaded a Northern Powerhouse plan to boost the economies of the northern cities of England, traditional Labour strongholds that have lagged behind London. Another bid to burnish his prime ministerial image was a five-day visit to China with a full entourage, and a personal interview with the Mail on Sunday in which he spoke about his family, his weight struggles and liking for rap music.