Hi Jeffrey Osborne! Obama confuses Chancellor with US soul singer

Chancellor George Osborne was left embarassed at the G8 talks on Wednesday after repeatedly being called “Jeffrey” by US President Barack Obama.

The President later apologised for mixing his name up with the “On the Wings of Love” singer a reported three times when Osborne was addressing G8 leaders.

A witness said the name mix-up was a “visibly crushing blow” to the Chancellor, the Sunreported.

“The first time Obama did it was bad enough, but then he kept on repeating the error throughout the presentation. It got really cringe-worthy by the end,” the witness said.

The Financial Timesreported the US President later apologising to the Chancellor, telling him: “I’m sorry, man. I must have confused you with my favourite R&B singer.”

Jeffrey Osborne, the singer, told Sky News that he was delighted with the name confusion. “When I come over that way I’ll have to hook up with him and we can do a duet or something,” he said.

London Mayor Boris Johnson weighed in on Thursday morning to quip that he would sing “anything by Jeffrey Osborne” if he had to do karaoke.

anything by Jeffrey Osborne esp On the wings of luuuuurve #askboris@Robparker08

— Boris Johnson (@MayorofLondon) June 20, 2013

 Obama was later reported to have made another gaffe in praising Nick Clegg as more attractive than David Cameron.

“It’s good to see the better looking half of the Coalition,” he told the LibDem leader.