Why call George Osborne "Gideon "?

You hear it and read it all the time; Labour supporters who refer to George Osborne as "Gideon".

Why do they do it?

Isn't it just name calling and bullying?

Ok, ok, George Osborne's birth certificate has him as Gideon but he has, as is his choice, become known as George.

So Gideon is his real name? Yes. But Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are both really named Edward - should we insist that they are always called that? Should Ken Clarke always be Kenneth? Should Maggie Thatcher always be Margaret?

Labour supporters object, quite rightly, to Cameron's name calling and bullying but lose all respect when they call George Osborne Gideon because it is being done to try to make him sound posh, privileged and Tory.

George Osborne wants to be called George. Labour supporters should respect that.