tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post332571145198946872..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: How Not to Consult in Two Easy LessonsIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-84592973202513699002008-10-19T12:58:00.000+01:002008-10-19T12:58:00.000+01:00I'm not sure why you should think, Iain, that the ...I'm not sure why you should think, Iain, that the nuclear power consultation sham is more worrying than the DOH one. Personally, I find it equally of concern when a government is rigging the consultation process in order to justify further restricting a legal activity. Public policy built on deceit is inexcusable and it surely doesn't matter what the issue in question is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-22718349462348920762008-10-17T19:24:00.000+01:002008-10-17T19:24:00.000+01:00In the spirit of "two easy lessons", I comment fur...In the spirit of "two easy lessons", I comment further. There follows a handy cut out and keep guide to avoiding some common consultation pitfalls.<BR/><BR/>1. Establish clearly what it is you are seeking views on. For example, if person x thinks it is christmas decorations, while person y thinks it is a new year party, you may have problems reconciling the feedback you receive.<BR/><BR/>2. Establish clear lines of communications. For example, if person x thinks feedback should go to Dr Sensible, while person y has been told to go to Dr Smart, you may have problems.<BR/><BR/>3. Make clear the date by which everyone is to get back to you. Examples hopefully not needed for this one.<BR/><BR/>4. If you are not sure what someone's view is, try ASKING THEM. Hardly nuclear physics, but some people seem not to know this one. <BR/><BR/>5. If at all possible, try not to incur expenditure or make irreversible decisions prior to the end of the consultation period. This is where para.3 above is at its most useful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24569511015515346802008-10-17T15:49:00.000+01:002008-10-17T15:49:00.000+01:00Government also gave grants to Shelter to produce ...Government also gave grants to Shelter to produce information booklets on housing need in areas where eco-town submissions had been received - of course this was to help inform the debate!<BR/>Local Councils opposing the proposals would be hauled over the coals if they spent public money trying to persuade the public to hold a particular view - it is against the law.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-41419815604927890772008-10-17T15:30:00.000+01:002008-10-17T15:30:00.000+01:00Greenpeace as usual are talking absolute rubbish w...Greenpeace as usual are talking absolute rubbish when they claim wind is cheaper than nuclear.<BR/><BR/>The government appears to have fixed a consultation, but that does not justify Greenpeace selectively citing a document that is five years old and ignoring the higher cost of implementing and subsidising wind power.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936858144046032905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-55970529283392473492008-10-17T15:11:00.000+01:002008-10-17T15:11:00.000+01:00Is there anything decent and honest in this countr...Is there anything decent and honest in this country anymore? What proportion of the country have their 'snouts in the taxpayers trough'?<BR/><BR/>Seems to me there is loads of room for public sector spending custs!!!<BR/><BR/>Come on Grodon - you demand petrol prices should go down, and we demand you lower public spending!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-12211272739786014512008-10-17T15:08:00.000+01:002008-10-17T15:08:00.000+01:00I don't know anything about this nuclear energy co...I don't know anything about this nuclear energy consultation process, but the Greenpeace press release raises some wider issues of interest.<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that we need to balance the apparent strength added to the moral argument (which comes from being seen to have engaged in some kind of consultation exercise), with the need for commensurate care to be taken with the due process of the consultation procedure (from which this moral weight is derived).<BR/><BR/>The potential for abuse of process does exist in many settings, especially where there is the prospect of personal gain, whether political and/or financial.<BR/><BR/>The risk of this may be highest where power is dispersed unequally and/or where one entity feels that they do 'know best'. Sham consultation for what the sham creator feels are good reasons is still sham consultation.<BR/><BR/>Equally, there is always the risk that the all-knowing-entity is not quite as all-knowing as they believe they are. <BR/><BR/>Hence, the need for clear due process safeguards which cannot be overriden by those who might be tempted to pull rank.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-52192275123057268792008-10-17T15:00:00.000+01:002008-10-17T15:00:00.000+01:00So what? Blatant dishonesty by Gordon is hardly ne...So what? <BR/><BR/>Blatant dishonesty by Gordon is hardly news. All the independent reports, enquiries etc. have had a pre-arranged outcome. On the rare occasions they do reach a conclusion that doesn't suit him (Badger cull, cannabis reclassification) they are simply ignored.<BR/><BR/>I remember Gordon (in respect of a replacement for Trident) saying: <BR/><BR/>The time for a democratic discussion is after the government has announced its decision."<BR/><BR/>He may have meant this is the normal order for parliamentary business but, from the way he said it, you knew exactly what the sinister creep* meant.<BR/><BR/>*restrained substitute for other word beginning with c.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-18560456186188866802008-10-17T14:35:00.000+01:002008-10-17T14:35:00.000+01:00...and this is surprising? Labour know what answer......and this is surprising? Labour know what answers they want, they know they are right so they will manipulate the facts to ensure they get the correct result - easy...<BR/><BR/>Word verification - esyzayNot a sheephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14123293202225008273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-34241367032356680632008-10-17T14:31:00.000+01:002008-10-17T14:31:00.000+01:00I bet Plato witnessed the same trickery all those ...I bet Plato witnessed the same trickery all those years ago (approx 2500), as they appear in his great work 'Republic' in all but modern name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-5456643300164594672008-10-17T14:28:00.000+01:002008-10-17T14:28:00.000+01:00Smokers haven't got any rights.Smoking should be m...Smokers haven't got any rights.<BR/>Smoking should be made a capital offence. Oh, wait a minute...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-71865595106615326432008-10-17T14:13:00.001+01:002008-10-17T14:13:00.001+01:00It's a Hydra. Cut off OLR and it will appear in a...It's a Hydra. Cut off OLR and it will appear in another guise. These people are joined at the hip.Unsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08307116169498533047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-63102167356591159162008-10-17T14:13:00.000+01:002008-10-17T14:13:00.000+01:00She also organises the Citizens Juries events. I'm...She also organises the Citizens Juries events. I'm not going to put any spin on today's news. <BR/><BR/>I ran an expose on them some time back and they are not good. Throw them in the CP/regionalization basket.<BR/><BR/>Quite worrying, for me, are N10's guidelines for the Nine Regional Focus Groups, i.e. the EU concept of regions]:<BR/><BR/> "Participants will be given facts and figures that are independently verified, they can look at real issues and solutions, just as a jury examines a case. And where these citizens juries are held the intention is to bring people together to explore where common ground exists."<BR/><BR/>It doesn't take much brainpower to see what that augurs.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-78575959499413702462008-10-17T14:12:00.000+01:002008-10-17T14:12:00.000+01:00"It seems that Gordon Brown's government should be..."It seems that Gordon Brown's government should be making good use of the Consultation Institute's training courses"<BR/><BR/>As I annoyed, fed-up tax payer that is just what I want to hear, Iain.<BR/><BR/>I assume these "training courses" are not cheap and secondly pointless and common sense? And you a Tory as now expecting the government to throw more money to "consultants" GREATAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-45168935007551924682008-10-17T14:03:00.000+01:002008-10-17T14:03:00.000+01:00I love the irony of Greepeace complaining about bi...I love the irony of Greepeace complaining about bias and innacuracy.Pogohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10812765444160924585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24307140125622993752008-10-17T13:56:00.000+01:002008-10-17T13:56:00.000+01:00Sorry, what's the story here? Labour cronies cream...Sorry, what's the story here? <BR/><BR/>Labour cronies creaming taxpayer funding to provide regime friendly services is nothing new. If someone in authority/power was actually prepared to do something about it, that would be newsworthy.CMQhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10802322915074739927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56576159040932164312008-10-17T13:27:00.000+01:002008-10-17T13:27:00.000+01:00is anybody suprised ?is anybody suprised ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com