Is it me, or is this government falling apart at the seams? In what could be interpreted as a huge snub to John Reid Tony Blair has appointed Foreign Office Minister, Lord Triesman, as special envoy with responsibility for increasing the number of migrants refused entry to the UK who are returned to their home countries. David Davis has jumped on this by saying:"Perhaps the Prime Minister hopes the Foreign Office Minister will prove more vigorous and successful than the beleaguered and progressively more incompetent Home Office ones."
Shadow Immigration Minister, Damian Green, added:
"This is another admission of failure by the Home Office. Despite John Reid's tough talk, the lack of proper controls at our borders means that far too many people think it is worth taking the risk of trying to enter Britain illegally, and then claim asylum when it is not justified. The sheer numbers mean we now need a Special Envoy from outside the Home Office to deal with other Governments."
Is this what they mean by joined up government?
No Iain, it is not just you. this shambles are falling apart all over the place. Just look at all the ministers protesting about NHS cuts!
ReplyDelete(Still it provides lots of material for my blog.
When will the Government take as seriously foreigners coming to the UK and spending hard working families tax as seriously as British people not paying it.
ReplyDeleteThis says everything about the left wing they want to screw every penny out of hard working families but can't help themselves giving it to people who just turn up and they take pity on.
We need "special envoys" to run government departments?
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of the saying "if more politicians is the answer, you are asking the wrong question"...
Or does Blair want to challenge the Lying Scotsman via Reid and wants him out of this incendiary area.?
ReplyDeleteThey may need a Minister for keeping people in the country soon .
What are "other governments" going to do about it?
ReplyDeleteBuild walls around their countries to keep people in?
Snub to reid it may be but its still another pile of bullshit.
It's labour rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is, we've seen it a million times before, and thought that would be the end of it, yet somehow, people will shrug their shoulders and labour will continue to preside over chaos with impunity.
Now is the time, if he is able, for David Cameron to take his game to the next level and seriously prepare himsef for government- so people can believe there is a credible alternative that is ready to do the job NOW.
From the NuLabour Lexicon:
ReplyDeleteSpecial Envoy (noun): The appointment of a NuLabour crony or worthy in an eye-catching initiative or action designed to give the appearance of action when faced with media scrutiny and/or negative headlines. It's real purpose is to conceal the lack of action and/or governmental incompetence and fudal rivalry.
See also Government Tsar, PMOS Statements, Special Envoy, Government Enquiry e.g. Hutton Enquiry, Government Sponsored reports e.g. Stern report on Climate Change
Iain - When is the new Doughty St website launching. Aren't you cutting it a bit fine?
ReplyDeleteyour favourite phrase.... joined up government
ReplyDelete"Is it me, or is this government falling apart at the seams?" YES!
ReplyDeleteGordon is running around trying to behave like a prime minister, without addressing any of the really important issues or responsibilities.
Cabinet discipline has broken down and many are concentrating on an unofficial Deputy leadership hustings.
The Home Office is in meltdown again, but civil servants won't take the rap any more including the very vocal ACPO.
Ministers are standing in protests outside hospitals against there own policies.
The former education minister has given up on the system she presided over and has discovered does not deliver for her child.
And as you posted early, Broon is now chasing air passengers for a tax he imposed after they bought there ticket.
The MOD is issuing pathetic sound bites while it lets our soldiers down and Generals are now openly criticising the governments dreadful treatment of the armed forces.
I could go on.........
I hate these thuggish, bullying incompetents.
ReplyDeleteThis appointment has more to do with the Jewish slush fund and the Labour Party's desperate need for cash.
ReplyDeleteBut shouldn't the foreign office be concentrating on keeping us out of Bush's war with Iran?
ReplyDeleteanswer pj's question.
ReplyDeletewhats happened to the new doughty str website?
Re the Doughty Street Website...
ReplyDeleteThe company which is providing it have let us down badly. It was supposed to go live this morning but we were not happy with it, so rather than launch a product we weren't happy with we have delayed it by hopefully only a couple of days.
As they are being paid rather a lot of money for it, we are less than pleased, as you can imagine.
Iain, as someone who has dealt with my fair share of IT 'farragos' in the past, you have my sympathies.
ReplyDeleteBut rather like builders, once they have the roof off your house, they do have you over a barrel I'm afraid.
Don't take any 'bullshit' at all and make absolutely clear you will sue them. If you resolve not to 'blink first' they will soon get the message that you mean business and start being a lot more cooperative.
I would like to know of one example of properly functioning public administration under the Blair government. I suspect the answer is "zero". Why on earth the Tories and Cheeky party are not crucifying them is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteVlad The Impala says: "Why on earth the Tories and Cheeky party are not crucifying them is beyond me."
ReplyDeleteBut not beyond me, Vlad. They're frit.
Triesman is the man......as the Commie at the Association of University Teachers and a property-developer heir he is just what is needed.
ReplyDeleteI had thought Lord Birt might do it, or perhaps Alan Titchmarsh, then again it could have been something for Patrick Stewart from his "set phasers to stun" days.
I think the way Fiction and Fact have blended under Blair i one of the best things to have happened to TV Drama........I wonder if he will come back in a later series like Schwarzenegger did in Terminator 3 ? (After all we're not wiped out yet)
Vlad the Impala said...
ReplyDelete"I would like to know of one example of properly functioning public administration under the Blair government."
The provision of financial support to African dictators seems to be going fairly well.