Yesterday's letter from Gordon Brown to Gus O'Donnell was indeed a smokescreen, as the Tories have been alleging. Why? Firstly, because there is nothing in the current rules which fails to prevent the sort of mudslinging Damian McBride has been involved in, it's just that the rules haven't been implemented. And secondly, consider this.
The Committee on Standards in Public Life has held at least two inquiries into the role of Special Advisers in recent years. I think one was sparked off by the Jo Moore "burying bad news" episode. They came up with firm proposals to define the role of SPADs which they asked the government to include in a Civil Service Bill. Indeed, Labour, in its 1997 manifesto was committed to doing just that - but never has. I know that a draft Bill is in existence but the government refuses to bring it before Parliament. Why would that be, I wonder? It can't be because there is a heavy legislative programme. There isn't. MPs have the lightest workload in living memory and regularly clock off early because there are no votes.
At the last election the Committee on Standards in Public Life asked all three party leaders to sign up to introducing a Civil Service Bill. They all did. But guess what? Labour has reneged? It is no use saying, oh well. Brown wasn't party leader then because he made a big deal out of reforming our political system when he took over.
So let's not listen to Brown's weasel words on this. He had the chance to reform the system ages ago and funked it.
20 comments:
"Firstly, because there is nothing in the current rules which fails to prevent the sort of mudslinging Damian McBride has been involved in, it's just that the rules haven't been implemented."But isn't this always the way, lately, with anything?
The cry goes up 'We must have legislation to prevent XXXX!' yet no-one ever seems to counter this with 'No! We have the legislation already! We need people who follow the legislation regarding XXXX!'
See Dunblan Gun Laws, Dangerous Dog, etc, etc, ad infinitum...
Life under a Socialist Dictatorship. I suppose we must get used to it. The "Glenrothes" election technique is ready for Nationwide rollout!
Mmmm. This seems inaccurate Iain. Wasn't there a change in the code c 2001? Didn't McBride himself get hauled up before the beak - thanks to a labour lord asking lots of questions in the house, about 2005? Didn't he promise to behave himself.
"Mendacity" also seems to be the wrong word. That's lying. But your charge is that he is calling for something unnecessary i.e. reform of rules. I'd put it to you that putting in some ways and means of enforcing the rules wouldn't be a bad thing. And certainly in the meantime trying to enforce them better would also be welcome.
McBride has had a charmed life. He should have gone over and over and over again. But there's no one who believes that there are no characters like this in the Tories and the Lib Dems too. In GMC they're the worst at this. With one MP's assistant - paid for by us - at least as feral and corrupt as McBride. And that's not a compliment. he was very disappointed not to be short-listed for the top Lib Dem spin job.
Given that this is about smears and spin it really would be a useful tactic on your part to step back from smears and spin yourself.
Angus MacNeil was doing the rounds last evening. he knows a thing or two about sleaze of course. playing with Fire and all that. But he claimed - along with smearing all labour bloggers in Scotland and Wales - that Cameron has a McBride-alike in tow already.
I know its off topic, Iain, but I keep reading on blogs such as this,Guido Fawkes and PB that there was something fishy about the Glenrothes By Election result. Now these are very serious allegations to make and I wonder what lies behind it? Nothing any long would surpise me about this Govt but would be interested to know what your take on it is please.
BTW Good to see you demonstrating your class yesterday in amending the blog on Watson. He certainly still has questions to answer re knowledge or otherwise of the Red Rag proposal.
Peter - The Glenrothes voting record has disappered.
Mr Paul - the reason Mr McBride has led a 'charmed life' is that he has been protected by and supported by and made odious use of by one Gordon Brown.
That is the point you so wilfully ignore.
Brown - deceit on a stick.
I sincerely hope that Alan Duncan and Shailesh Vara bring up the subject of this putative Civil Service Bill at the next business questions.
Hopefully the Tories will say they are going to get rid of special advisers completely. They just seem to be hangers on that are either failed hacks or civil servants.
I doubt it'll happen however because I'm sure they have their own groups of hangers on they need to get on the gravy train.
Iain, well researched! Is it not indicative of this bloody administration.
We have political commissars in every department, that is what they are, Civil servants answer to them.
Gus O'Donnell has proved to be a lightweight not speaking out against this socialist straitjacket which has been placed on the once proud, excellent civil service!
Blair/Brown have changed completely the whole structure of our administration, be it local and national. It is a top down control freak, unsmiling, totalitarian organisation.
We must ask ourselves why we fought two world wars and end up slaves to a party who care not for the Country or its people, but like the rogues that ran the USSR, just look after themselves.
they have even handed us lock stock and candlestick to the EUSSR, without that 'promised'referendum.
That's honesty for you!
They have abused the electoral system -evidence of the postal votes conveniently swept under the carpets- the Glenrothes By Election which any self respecting Government would order a new by election!-
In education, health, crime, policing, courts and welfare can anyone say, hand on heart, that things have changed for the better?
We look, in vain, for one cabinet minister with some principals, who will stand up, resign, and say Up with this I will not put! and make their resignation speech to the Commons, a devastating killer blow to Brown!
yet we get tame, weak Ministers, like Alan Johnston, everyone favourite postie and lover of sixties music! and your favourite, Iain, Hazel Blears shouting the same old nonsense about 'Gordon this and Gordon that!'Blaming the BLOGS!! HAVE THEY NO SHAME?
It will take a mighty effort by Cameron and co, to reverse the changes brought in by this socialist crowd of incompetents. Is he up for the fight, has he got people up to the job around him?
"It can't be because there is a heavy legislative programme. There isn't. MPs have the lightest workload in living memory and regularly clock off early because there are no votes."The elephant in the room. What are we paying these chancers for? It is clearly not to be Parliamentarians. They do so little, achieve so little and spend an inordinate amount of time and money scheming and preening for the media.
Thanks Trevorsden for that.
Sorry Iain I know its still off topic (pehaps you would be able to do a piece specifically devoted to this topic) but what Tevor has just said is highly serious. I have ben a Presiding Officer at elections and its just inconcievable that the voting lists would not be under lock and key. There are post election returns which have to be made based on numbers of votes etc etc to the then Home Office.To lose a list would indeed be a sacking offence.
The SNP were the big losers in Glenrothes. Are they kicking up about this please?
After I recovered from the shock of the 'Iain Dale says Tories are right' in the first paragraph I was left wondering
a) why this is an 'EXCLUSIVE' and
b) as @juliam suggests. are you suggesting that the government needs to introduce loads more legislation? (The MPs are not busy enough statement).
"So let's not listen to Brown's weasel words on this"
or yours,Iain, or yours...
Isn't it always the way that those on top in an autocracy somehow never know what is going on? Like Hitler never knew about the Final Solution, or Stalin about the famines in Ukraine.......
There has already been a full investigation into the missing electoral registers at Glenrothes.
http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/report/Report_Investigation_into_Missing_Electoral_Register2009.pdf
No "malicious intent" was found in connection with their disappearance.
Sorry - the full link is
http://www.scotcourts.gov.
uk/docs/report/
Report_Investigation_
into_Missing_
Electoral_Register2009.pdf
Thanks very much for that PaulMcC. Have read the report now and am gobsmacked that these documents went missing. But I guess "thats it" as there has been an Inquiry but it does leave a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth - at least fo me that is!
Cheers
"as the Tories have been alleging."
Hold on a minute Iain you are the Torys...
your on the inner wheel so you are nice try though Iain the tory
Slightly off-topic, but I see Frances Osborne is reporting the NoW and ST to the PCC for repeating the details in the emails.
Perhaps she should sue. Now that would be interesting.
Watergate was sordid, the cover up brought down Nixon.
Ditto for emails, weasel words and Brown?
There is a spelling mistake in the penultimate word of this post!
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