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George Osborne defends choice of Spending Review burger Pickles' salad upstages Osborne's burger picture
(about 9 hours later)
Chancellor George Osborne has defended his choice of takeaway food after he was pictured eating a £10 burger. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has upstaged George Osborne with a photo of himself enjoying a salad as he puts the finishing touches to a speech.
Mr Osborne posted the picture of himself eating the burger in his Downing Street office on Twitter on the eve of his Spending Review speech. Mr Osborne has come under fire for tweeting a picture of himself eating a burger on the eve of a big speech.
It has now emerged the burger came from the restaurant chain Byron, rather than from a cheaper takeaway. He defended his choice after it emerged the £10 snack was from restaurant chain Byron, rather than a cheaper takeaway.
Mr Osborne said it was "perfectly reasonable to have a burger while working on a speech". The chancellor joked on Wednesday that the portly Mr Pickles was a "model of lean government".
The photograph has been criticised by opponents who have said the chancellor's attempt to cultivate more of a down-to-earth image had backfired. Mr Pickles posted the photo - in which he is in an almost identical pose to the chancellor - on Twitter, accompanied by the caption: "Putting the final touches to the LGA [Local Government Association] speech".
Mr Osborne made the joke about Mr Pickles during his Spending Review statement, after cutting his Community and Local Government Department by 10%.
'Pasta tonight''Pasta tonight'
Defending his choice of takeaway food, the chancellor said it was "perfectly reasonable to have a burger while working on a speech".
The chancellor's photograph has been criticised by opponents who have said his attempt to cultivate more of a down-to-earth image had backfired.
But Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was equally comfortable "talking about the merits of" a quarter pounder with cheese as a so-called "posh" burger.But Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was equally comfortable "talking about the merits of" a quarter pounder with cheese as a so-called "posh" burger.
"I was working late on a speech and I had a hamburger and the world is now talking about it," he said. "It is perfectly reasonable to have a hamburger while working on a speech.""I was working late on a speech and I had a hamburger and the world is now talking about it," he said. "It is perfectly reasonable to have a hamburger while working on a speech."
He said Twitter - which he joined on Budget Day in March - was a new venture for him.He said Twitter - which he joined on Budget Day in March - was a new venture for him.
"One of the challenges for politicians, which this incident demonstrates, is that all people see of politicians is in the TV studios or the House of Commons. The point of Twitter is to try and say something about what you are up to during the day.""One of the challenges for politicians, which this incident demonstrates, is that all people see of politicians is in the TV studios or the House of Commons. The point of Twitter is to try and say something about what you are up to during the day."
Asked whether he was likely to relax with a pizza or a curry tonight, the chancellor said it was more likely his evening meal would be "pasta cooked at home... if that's alright?".Asked whether he was likely to relax with a pizza or a curry tonight, the chancellor said it was more likely his evening meal would be "pasta cooked at home... if that's alright?".
Mr Osborne's choice of restaurant was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, after he was asked when he had last bought a burger, during his weekly radio phone-in.Mr Osborne's choice of restaurant was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, after he was asked when he had last bought a burger, during his weekly radio phone-in.
After thinking for a while Mr Clegg said it had been "quite an expensive one", recalling that he had gone to a "a burger place called Byron" after taking his children to the cinema.After thinking for a while Mr Clegg said it had been "quite an expensive one", recalling that he had gone to a "a burger place called Byron" after taking his children to the cinema.
Mr Clegg added that the main reason for their choice of eaterie was his children's desire for one of their milkshakes.Mr Clegg added that the main reason for their choice of eaterie was his children's desire for one of their milkshakes.