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| George Osborne chooses budget day for Twitter debut | George Osborne chooses budget day for Twitter debut |
| (17 days later) | |
| The chancellor, George Osborne, has joined Twitter just hours before he is due to deliver his budget . | The chancellor, George Osborne, has joined Twitter just hours before he is due to deliver his budget . |
| @George_Osborne rapidly gained over 10,000 followers an hour after his inaugural tweet proclaimed he would "present a budget that tackles the economy's problems head on" and help those "who want to work hard & get on". | @George_Osborne rapidly gained over 10,000 followers an hour after his inaugural tweet proclaimed he would "present a budget that tackles the economy's problems head on" and help those "who want to work hard & get on". |
| He also attached a picture of himself at a desk beside the ministerial red box briefcase, which will contain the government's fiscal and monetary plans for the next financial year as he stands before the Commons dispatch box. | He also attached a picture of himself at a desk beside the ministerial red box briefcase, which will contain the government's fiscal and monetary plans for the next financial year as he stands before the Commons dispatch box. |
| There was initial doubt about whether the account was genuine, but then the HM Treasury Twitter account welcomed the chancellor to the site. Other ministers also joined in and the PM retweeted Osborne's message. | There was initial doubt about whether the account was genuine, but then the HM Treasury Twitter account welcomed the chancellor to the site. Other ministers also joined in and the PM retweeted Osborne's message. |
| However, the BBC's Robert Peston said he would "eat his smartphone" if Osborne's fingers were pushing the buttons. | However, the BBC's Robert Peston said he would "eat his smartphone" if Osborne's fingers were pushing the buttons. |
| Former deputy prime minister and avid tweeter John Prescott instantly seized upon the chancellor's arrival to take a swipe at his policies, writing: "So @George_Osborne gets 3,745 followers in just 18 minutes. If only he could get that kind of growth in the economy. Or indeed ANY growth." | Former deputy prime minister and avid tweeter John Prescott instantly seized upon the chancellor's arrival to take a swipe at his policies, writing: "So @George_Osborne gets 3,745 followers in just 18 minutes. If only he could get that kind of growth in the economy. Or indeed ANY growth." |
| In what may be seen as a sign of deference, Osborne chose first to follow the prime minister's two Twitter accounts, then the Treasury and then fellow cabinet minsters. | In what may be seen as a sign of deference, Osborne chose first to follow the prime minister's two Twitter accounts, then the Treasury and then fellow cabinet minsters. |
| The list soon expanded to include the German central bank, the IMF, the historian Niall Ferguson, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, and the Beautiful World account, which posts pictures of natural scenes from around the globe. He had yet to follow the Bank of England. | The list soon expanded to include the German central bank, the IMF, the historian Niall Ferguson, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, and the Beautiful World account, which posts pictures of natural scenes from around the globe. He had yet to follow the Bank of England. |
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