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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Rawnsley Proved Right
Game, set and match to Andrew Rawnsley, I'd say.
Gus O'Donnell has admitted talking to Brown about the way he treats his staff. The Telegraph has the full story HERE.
Hats off to Gus O'Donnell for being a 24 carat Cabinet Secretary.
" “Briefing against her has already begun,” discloses my man in Gordon Brown’s bunker. Astonishingly, Labour officials claim that David Cameron’s wife, who transformed the fortunes of the Mayfair stationer Smythson while raising three children, is “lazy”. "
Labour have already been caught out on this once. Yet another instance of a dog returning to its vomit.
Meantime Mr Rawnsley must be a happy man tonight. In line for a Pulitzer or some equivalent. What must Paxo be thinking as he lounges back on his long lost laurels, in his usual insouciant way. Britain went to hell in a handcart on his watch and he just sneered at it as it passed him by.
That wasn't difficult to say so why didn't he say that on Sunday instead of the drip of half-truths and finessing growing a news stalagmite? It, like the rest of politics now, seems to have been contrived solely for the benefit of the media and govt press officers.
I think Labour have scored an own goal on bullygate by saying the Conservatives are playing the man and not the ball. It is clear that Gordon has shaped Government and Policy as a means of protecting his Fragile mental health. Gordon has a deep psychological problem if being wrong. He blames others, shouts, takes out rivals etc. To this end he centralises power, shifts responsibilities, smears opponents.
Gordon has not so much shaped Government and Policy in his own image, but he has shaped Government to protect his own image.
There is an expression which goes, "you're squirming like a whore at a christening'. That's just how O'Donnell was when he had to explain what he claimed he said to Broon.
@James D: I think these might be what you were looking for...
Sir Arnold: I'm not reprimanding you, I don't know the facts well enough. ... Sir Arnold: This could cause people to reflect on your soundness. I've no doubts about you myself, but...
Bernard: Sir Humphrey saw the Cabinet Secretary and got the most frightful wigging. Really tore him off a strip because of your economies-honours scheme. Jim Hacker: Your scheme. Bernard: We've been through all that. Jim Hacker: Sorry. My scheme. Why wig someone as high up as Humphrey? Bernard: Normally, it's civilised, but this time it was no-holds-barred. Sir Arnold said he wasn't actually reprimanding him. Jim Hacker: Bad as that, was it? Bernard: Yes. He suggested some people might not think he was sound. Jim Hacker: A real punch-up!
Bloody good episode but, then, they pretty much all were :)
Laurie - the difference is that Mr Dale and most of us would not treat junior staff like bags of shite.
Jimmy - of course this is what Rawnsley said. And why on earth should the Cabinet Secretary have to speak to the Prime Minister -- THE PRIME MINISTER! --- about how to get the best out of his staff.
Its clear now - Brown was behaving disgracefully, and the point about it all is that Brown is totally unsuited to listening to advice which does not suit his preconceptions. Hence selling gold cheap, hence taxing pensions, hence 10p tax fiasco, hence no more boom and bust, hence post neo-classical endogenous growth theory, hence a complete horlicks of a 'light touch' banking regulation.
Its not the reign of terror that worries me its the reign of error.
“I didn’t talk to him about behaviour. I talked to him about how to get the best out of his staff,”
ReplyDeleteAnd that's exactly the same as what Rawnsley said is it?
Praise where praise is due, The Telegraph also point out that Labour are planning to smear Samantha Cameron.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/david-cameron/7308630/Wheels-of-No-10-spin-turn-on-Samantha-Cameron.html
" “Briefing against her has already begun,” discloses my man in Gordon Brown’s bunker.
Astonishingly, Labour officials claim that David Cameron’s wife, who transformed the fortunes of the Mayfair stationer Smythson while raising three children, is “lazy”. "
Labour have already been caught out on this once. Yet another instance of a dog returning to its vomit.
Meantime Mr Rawnsley must be a happy man tonight. In line for a Pulitzer or some equivalent.
What must Paxo be thinking as he lounges back on his long lost laurels, in his usual insouciant way. Britain went to hell in a handcart on his watch and he just sneered at it as it passed him by.
It sounds conspicuously like the famous Yes Minister "not exactly" dressing-down. (Annoyingly I can't find the precise Sir Arnold quote...)
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't difficult to say so why didn't he say that on Sunday instead of the drip of half-truths and finessing growing a news stalagmite? It, like the rest of politics now, seems to have been contrived solely for the benefit of the media and govt press officers.
ReplyDeleteI think Labour have scored an own goal on bullygate by saying the Conservatives are playing the man and not the ball. It is clear that Gordon has shaped Government and Policy as a means of protecting his Fragile mental health. Gordon has a deep psychological problem if being wrong. He blames others, shouts, takes out rivals etc. To this end he centralises power, shifts responsibilities, smears opponents.
ReplyDeleteGordon has not so much shaped Government and Policy in his own image, but he has shaped Government to protect his own image.
“I didn’t talk to him about behaviour. I talked to him about how to get the best out of his staff,”
ReplyDeleteAnd that's exactly the same as what Rawnsley said is it?
Yup, pretty much. Thanks for pointing that out, Jimmy!
You're known for your bad temper Iain. You've even said so on your blog. How is this different from what Brown is like to his civil servants?
ReplyDeleteThere is an expression which goes, "you're squirming like a whore at a christening'. That's just how O'Donnell was when he had to explain what he claimed he said to Broon.
ReplyDeleteLaurie, the difference is that I have learned to control my temper in a work environment, as I hope my colleagues would testify to. Brown hasn't.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt he polished the comment somewhat. I wonder what he exactly said.
ReplyDelete@James D:
ReplyDeleteI think these might be what you were looking for...
Sir Arnold: I'm not reprimanding you, I don't know the facts well enough.
...
Sir Arnold: This could cause people to reflect on your soundness. I've no doubts about you myself, but...
Bernard: Sir Humphrey saw the Cabinet Secretary and got the most frightful wigging. Really tore him off a strip because of your economies-honours scheme.
Jim Hacker: Your scheme.
Bernard: We've been through all that.
Jim Hacker: Sorry. My scheme. Why wig someone as high up as Humphrey?
Bernard: Normally, it's civilised, but this time it was no-holds-barred. Sir Arnold said he wasn't actually reprimanding him.
Jim Hacker: Bad as that, was it?
Bernard: Yes. He suggested some people might not think he was sound.
Jim Hacker: A real punch-up!
Bloody good episode but, then, they pretty much all were :)
Laurie - the difference is that Mr Dale and most of us would not treat junior staff like bags of shite.
ReplyDeleteJimmy - of course this is what Rawnsley said. And why on earth should the Cabinet Secretary have to speak to the Prime Minister -- THE PRIME MINISTER! --- about how to get the best out of his staff.
Its clear now - Brown was behaving disgracefully, and the point about it all is that Brown is totally unsuited to listening to advice which does not suit his preconceptions.
Hence selling gold cheap, hence taxing pensions, hence 10p tax fiasco, hence no more boom and bust, hence post neo-classical endogenous growth theory, hence a complete horlicks of a 'light touch' banking regulation.
Its not the reign of terror that worries me its the reign of error.
Also Laurie,
ReplyDeleteIain isn't the Prime Minister....