Osborne is slammed by watchdog over editor job

Swipe taken at May’s Brexit talks on first day at helm of Standard

A former Chancellor has been handed a lobbying ban and told he broke rules over his appointment as a newspaper editor as he completed his first day in the job.

George Osborne took a swipe at Theresa May’s handling of Brexit on his bow editing the Evening Standard, as the paper issued a call for her to spell out her plans in greater detail.

The Standard told Mrs May in an editorial: “If you ask for a blank cheque, don’t be surprised if later it bounces.”

It also emerged the former Chancellor has been handed a two-year ban on lobbying former ministerial colleagues on behalf of his new employers and told he must not discuss the issue of press regulation with the Government.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, a non-departmental public body, also said Mr Osborne’s contract at the Standard must be amended to make clear he cannot draw on information obtained as a minister for his journalistic work.

And the watchdog said he broke its rules by signing the contract before receiving its advice, telling him: “It was not appropriate for you to do so.”

Arriving at the title’s offices at 7am with newspapers tucked under his arm, Mr Osborne – a prominent leader of the Remain campaign in last year’s EU referendum – said it was “very exciting to be starting in the new job”.

“It’s a really important time in our country, when people are going to want the straight facts, the informed analysis, so they can make the really big decisions about this country’s future,” he said.

“The Evening Standard is going to provide that and it is going to entertain along the way.”

Hours later his debut front page carried the splash headline “Brussels twists knife on Brexit”, over a story detailing European Parliament negotiator Guy Verhofstadt’s use of Twitter to lampoon the Prime Minister’s “strong and stable” slogan.

Mr Osborne was greeted outside the Standard’s west London offices by a billboard reading “George Osborne: Lowering London’s Standards”, placed by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, who accuse him of favouring internet-based cab-hailing service Uber.

He declined to answer questions about his string of jobs.

Pictures: PA. Former chancellor George Osborne arrives at the London Evening Standard offices for his first day as editor. Below, his first front page.