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Osborne failed to declare free family holiday
Evening Standard21.10.08
George Osborne failed to declare a free family holiday from the man who introduced him to Oleg Deripaska.
The shadow chancellor, his wife Frances and their children were staying at the Corfu home of financier Nathaniel Rothschild, the Standard has learned.
The Osbornes paid their own flights for the august holiday but Mr Osborne neglected to mention in the register of Member's Interests that they also had the run of the Rothschilds' clifftop estate for a week. During the stay Mr Osborne was invited to meet Mr Deripaska on his £80 million yacht moored nearby.
Lewes MP Norman Baker said: "The golden rule is that you don't take hospitality from somebody who has a clear financial interest in the policy you are creating."
A spokesman for the shadow chancellor denied he had broken the rule and added: "This was a stay with an old friend."
However, MPs said the fact that Mr Rothschild was entertaining so many influential figures would suggest business was discussed by guests.
Reader views (5)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Woop de dooh.
This is just mud slinging.
Labour must really fear Osborne.
Has Mandleson declared all his holidays?
- Dino Fancellu, Epsom
Give it a rest. Mandelson's the real villain here.
He saved the Russian tens of millions in import taiffs. Did he do it for nothing?
- John, London
Osborne is no match for Vince Cable or Darling. It is an excellent chance for him to stand down and put Kenneth Clarke in place. The latter would wipe the floor with Brown & his fellow incompetents.
- Mordwinoff, Lisle, FRANCE.
Free holidays?
Oh, did Mr. Osborne take a leaf from the Blair's 20,000 page Compendium of Global Freebies?
- R.Mcgeddon, London, England
Osborne has been far more stupid than Patrick Mercer who was made an example of by Cameroon. Osborne should go and give us Tories an adult Shadow Chancellor, try Redwood! Oh, and bring back Mercer, at least he had achieved much in his military career.
- Major John Prendergast, Stafford, UK
