tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post3617994191092260462..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: How Not to Protect Your MinisterIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59114110107272002052008-08-15T06:00:00.000+01:002008-08-15T06:00:00.000+01:00Oh dear. Crammed into a small niche between the mo...Oh dear. Crammed into a small niche between the monolith that is Europe and hordes of twittering advisers, MPs and ministers are seemingly ever more irrelevant to the business of government.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-90039244083192338062008-08-14T10:59:00.000+01:002008-08-14T10:59:00.000+01:00Anonymous said... "All Women. More made-up jobs fo...<B>Anonymous said...</B> <BR/><BR/>"All Women. More made-up jobs for the 'middle-class' dollies that pour, every year, out of the 121-odd universities.<BR/><BR/>Non-jobs for dollies include PR, HR and general party planning. They increasingly dominate my industry and are no more use than booking flights and issuing press releases (usually written by someone else)."<BR/><BR/>Worse than that. Filling the non jogs of HR they make up ever more ludicrous excuses for not employing people. Churning out all that HR femnazi garbage is intended to show how vitally important the HR dollies are. Actually, they just make a fairly easy process time-consuming and expensive. And end up employing useless twats as like themselves as possible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-69479856017753443192008-08-14T03:04:00.000+01:002008-08-14T03:04:00.000+01:00Well, I don't think it's a new labour thing - it's...Well, I don't think it's a new labour thing - it's a civil service thing. When the Tories get in, they'll inherit and for the most part use the same press officers, who are mostly civil servants. Even in Number 10 there's a balance of civil servants and special advisers doing the press work, with Brown relying less on political apparatchiks than Blair did.<BR/><BR/>Bad press officer-ing here though, obviously.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-34191716176527959532008-08-14T00:42:00.000+01:002008-08-14T00:42:00.000+01:00fuck me, david (boothroyd) - you're right it is "w...fuck me, david (boothroyd) - you're right it is "within the bounds" to agree areas beforehand, but it is totally extraordinary for a press officer or special adviser to butt in on an interview in this way. i've interviewed (for pre-records) ministers, shadow ministers, MPs, union leaders and other political bigwigs for a decade and it has never happened. it's also never happened on live shows i've worked on. and i've never heard of a single interview in which a press aide has done this before.<BR/><BR/>i've also been a press aide, and there i no way on god's earth that i'd have ever butted in on an interview like that.<BR/><BR/>if it was a pre-rec, the minister should have asked for a quick break and told his press officer to bugger off - s/he is an aide, and to do that shows that s/he has no faith in the minister. if i was plaskitt, i'd take it as a huge insult. the fact that the BBC decided to use it is actually a jab at plaskitt for not reminding his press officer of the rules of the game.<BR/><BR/>as ever, the new labour blind spot - just because something is permissible doesn't mean it won't go down appallingly. opposition beckons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-82460126693915943872008-08-13T23:57:00.000+01:002008-08-13T23:57:00.000+01:00Surprisingly this was a pre-recorded interview and...Surprisingly this was a pre-recorded interview and not live, so the World at One has made a deliberate decision to broadcast it. It is quite legitimate for an interviewee to agree bounds for the interview beforehand in order that they are briefed on the issues that may come up, and then object if the broadcaster goes back on their word and raises other subjects. <BR/><BR/>The phrase "press officer" is an imprecise one, but even so it is within the bounds of civil service neutrality to set up an interview between a Minister and a broadcaster on one subject and then protest if other subjects are mentioned.David Boothroydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01161970886471901426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-60460070192953817942008-08-13T23:37:00.000+01:002008-08-13T23:37:00.000+01:00I do remember Bernard Ingham...I do remember Bernard Ingham...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-23458959695625154542008-08-13T21:36:00.000+01:002008-08-13T21:36:00.000+01:00Can you imagine Margaret Thatcher, even when she w...Can you imagine Margaret Thatcher, even when she was the most junior of ministers, having a political commissar sitting alongside her?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-37640518821501155282008-08-13T21:11:00.000+01:002008-08-13T21:11:00.000+01:00Who pays her salary? If it is us, the taxpayer, sh...Who pays her salary? If it is us, the taxpayer, she must be sacked immediately.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56638973021605733752008-08-13T20:56:00.000+01:002008-08-13T20:56:00.000+01:00Equally telling is where James Plaskitt actually r...Equally telling is where James Plaskitt actually responds and says 'the answer is no ...' and then lets off a snide laugh, in the vein that is what he is meant to say to stay 'on message', but in no way believes. That is what James would really wants to say is '.. absolutly, Gordon Brown will be negatively impacted by this, but as a Nulabour drone you can't expect me to confirm THAT ...'<BR/><BR/>BTW, Iain, was that a S8 I see you driving when visiting Simon Jones? If so, v nice ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-78296425345521484862008-08-13T19:26:00.000+01:002008-08-13T19:26:00.000+01:00All Women. More made-up jobs for the 'middle-class...All Women. More made-up jobs for the 'middle-class' dollies that pour, every year, out of the 121-odd universities.<BR/><BR/>Non-jobs for dollies include PR, HR and general party planning. They increasingly dominate my industry and are no more use than booking flights and issuing press releases (usually written by someone else).<BR/><BR/>They also demonstrate the fundamental dolly conservatism - and get upset if pre-made plans change or they need to show a little bit of innovation.<BR/><BR/>Prince Charles's set-up has two full time thumb-twiddling HR dollies (the head dolly said she needed an assistant) - useful when there are no more than 120-or so people working there.... <BR/><BR/>And head HR dolly is certified useless, but nobody dares sack her because she's a Dolly that knows the rules and won't hesitate to drag everybody through the courts if her little dolly day and dolly routine is disrupted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-30550872853257260492008-08-13T19:12:00.000+01:002008-08-13T19:12:00.000+01:00A wonderful moment. So New Labour it made me reali...A wonderful moment. So New Labour it made me realised why I can't wait to see these odious people get their come-uppance at the next Election! They are horible, but they've been like it since Blair became leader and hired that nice Mr Campbell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59128875592970200392008-08-13T18:56:00.000+01:002008-08-13T18:56:00.000+01:00Clearly,as they are no longer capable of governing...Clearly,as they are no longer capable of governing,news management is their only apparent means of survival.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-74739017942633391212008-08-13T18:54:00.000+01:002008-08-13T18:54:00.000+01:00Under Freedom of info, can we the tax payer be tol...Under Freedom of info, can we the tax payer be told what these minders are costing, salary , NIC, pension i.e. total cost.How many are there...is it just government or is it local authority. I dont mind paying taxes for doctors, nurses,teacers, policeman,street cleaners and refuse collectors.i.e. contributors to quality of life, but these people are worse than useless if they prohibit our elected politicians telling it the way it is.<BR/>Can you astound the taxpayer Iain, with the total real cost of these over egoed and unnecessary drains on the nation's resources.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24041951922729615292008-08-13T18:39:00.000+01:002008-08-13T18:39:00.000+01:00Things must really be collapsing if rising unemplo...Things must really be collapsing if rising unemployment is preferable to the other topic.<BR/><BR/>The government would rather admit more people are jobless than that the Prime Minister is under pressure.<BR/><BR/>It's a good day to bury bad news?<BR/><BR/>Except it's a good day to release the bad news to bury the worse news.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-57426188617259982872008-08-13T18:01:00.000+01:002008-08-13T18:01:00.000+01:00All part of Broon`s micro managing everything........All part of Broon`s micro managing everything.....Really no one should be suprised..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-73615251308141889062008-08-13T17:58:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:58:00.000+01:00btw, newmania @3:08pm.PA - Press Associationbtw, newmania @3:08pm.<BR/><BR/>PA - Press Association@molesworth_1https://www.blogger.com/profile/12278870362360637173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-91757753220443456182008-08-13T17:57:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:57:00.000+01:00If a Press Officer had interrupted the likes of Al...If a Press Officer had interrupted the likes of Alan Clark he would have told him/her to Eff Off whilst still on air.<BR/><BR/>These 'Ministers' are completely cowed apparatchiks, totally subservient to their 'advisors'. Gutless morons.Unsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08307116169498533047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10293755111200871822008-08-13T17:56:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:56:00.000+01:00I, too, heard the howler live & was quite shoc...I, too, heard the howler live & was quite shocked at the ineptitude of the minder. <BR/>I suspect that whichever 'Malcolm Tucker' (was there ever a better piece of satirical rhyming slang?) this dip-shit reports to will reduce her to a whimpering mess of snot & tears.<BR/>Only goes to show how close to reality 'The Thick Of It' is.@molesworth_1https://www.blogger.com/profile/12278870362360637173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-77939411791888065122008-08-13T17:34:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:34:00.000+01:00Appears after 17.45 minutes.To those of us who hav...Appears after 17.45 minutes.<BR/><BR/>To those of us who have interviewed government ministers, this is nothing new. I interviewed Darling not too long ago and he was protected at all times by a burley press woman and a younger version. They demanded to vet my questions, and wanted to veto several pertinent ones saying "He hasn't been briefed on that issue" the issues in question were a critical government policies").<BR/><BR/>I agreed to all demands but asked all the questions anyway. Darling answered as though on autopilot, ignoring all questions and just citing old figures.<BR/><BR/>Afterwards I pointed out to the press flunkies that this is not Zimbabwe. Amusing, the younger one laughed in agreement as if to acknowledge how outrageous this vetting is. These "special advisors" aren't daft. They know exactly how corrupt the practice is - but what can you do when your charges are so dismal?<BR/><BR/>Encouragingly, I've interviewed Cameron too and he had no such protection.<BR/><BR/>Yours, anon (don't want to get blacklisted: another problem for journos!).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44938377821021229732008-08-13T17:29:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:29:00.000+01:00JP is a nice guy and actually a competant minister...JP is a nice guy and actually a competant minister (intelligent and not a self publicist), I suspect he would be annoyed with the PO for butting in when she really had no business too.<BR/><BR/>I suspect they agreed not to discuss the leadership challenge, so he cheekily put the question in about this "destabilising" the PM.<BR/><BR/>It should have been expected and should have dealt with it better (if the answer was no then why not say that to begin with).....maybe its a leadership challenge :@)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-9084695903790504692008-08-13T17:26:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:26:00.000+01:00Sorry.... I should have said "and not just in the ...Sorry.... I should have said "and not just in the public sector"simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15333603569294208240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-25154338036081680282008-08-13T17:25:00.000+01:002008-08-13T17:25:00.000+01:00It's pretty standard for press officers to sit in ...It's pretty standard for press officers to sit in on interviews - and not just in the private sector. In previous companies I've worked for, I've often given radio interviews with a press person sitting at my shoulder, scribbling notes on bits of paper and generally being a distraction rather than a help. They shouldn't butt in on a live interview though: I wonder if she thought it was a pre-record?simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15333603569294208240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-88092873772517502392008-08-13T16:37:00.000+01:002008-08-13T16:37:00.000+01:00when i try, the clip ends before the press officer...when i try, the clip ends before the press officer speaks. i think it's been nobbled.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59763761866943443002008-08-13T16:19:00.000+01:002008-08-13T16:19:00.000+01:00Yep, chaperoning is standard. I once interviewed ...Yep, chaperoning is standard. I once interviewed George Young about cycling - prety innocuous stuff and there was a DTP press officer sitting in. <BR/><BR/>I did almost drop my coffee when I heard the PO shoving her beak in on WATO. I wonder if the calibre of ministers is now so low that they have one sitting next to his bed so he can be told 'socks before shoes, minister'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-6389870677534209752008-08-13T16:06:00.000+01:002008-08-13T16:06:00.000+01:00just who is paying for this press officer ?just who is paying for this press officer ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com