Current Affairs

[Onelife]

After Theresa May's ineptitude in the Brexit negotiations I think it was inevitable that Boris would be making changes.

Now go and wash your mouth out Foxy

[david63]

This isn’t a business though, it’s government.

I am well aware of that - I was trying (obviously badly) to make an analogy.

[Mervyn and Trish]

This isn’t a business though, it’s government.

I am well aware of that - I was trying (obviously badly) to make an analogy.

Perhaps if government was more like business it wouldn't be so hopelessly inefficient!

Not specifically this one I would clarify. Most.

[oldbluefox]

This isn’t a business though, it’s government.

I am well aware of that - I was trying (obviously badly) to make an analogy.

Serves you right!! No sympathy!!!

[anniec]

Do look back at previous governments Gill and forget your obsession with Cummings. It has always been the same. Blair had Campbell (just as odious as Cummings), Thatcher had Ingham, Wilson had Falkener. And every Prime Minister in between. Every Priime Minister has close personal advisors they can trust while fellow ministers are sharpening their knives. Top civil servants who did not fit have regularly faced the chop. It is nothing new.

Worse - dodgy dossier, anyone?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Do look back at previous governments Gill and forget your obsession with Cummings. It has always been the same. Blair had Campbell (just as odious as Cummings), Thatcher had Ingham, Wilson had Falkener. And every Prime Minister in between. Every Priime Minister has close personal advisors they can trust while fellow ministers are sharpening their knives. Top civil servants who did not fit have regularly faced the chop. It is nothing new.

Worse - dodgy dossier, anyone?

Quite so. Thousands of innocent people died and still are. Conveniently forgotten. But at least he didn't drive to Barnard Castle!

[anniec]

Do look back at previous governments Gill and forget your obsession with Cummings. It has always been the same. Blair had Campbell (just as odious as Cummings), Thatcher had Ingham, Wilson had Falkener. And every Prime Minister in between. Every Priime Minister has close personal advisors they can trust while fellow ministers are sharpening their knives. Top civil servants who did not fit have regularly faced the chop. It is nothing new.

Worse - dodgy dossier, anyone?

Quite so. Thousands of innocent people died and still are. Conveniently forgotten. But at least he didn't drive to Barnard Castle!

I can't come up with anything to compare with the behaviour of Blair/Campbell and have forgotten nothing. However, that doesn't make breaking lockdown rules, especially when you were largely responsible for formulating them, any more acceptable.

Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. Quite normal .

[Mervyn and Trish]

Worse - dodgy dossier, anyone?

Quite so. Thousands of innocent people died and still are. Conveniently forgotten. But at least he didn't drive to Barnard Castle!

I can't come up with anything to compare with the behaviour of Blair/Campbell and have forgotten nothing. However, that doesn't make breaking lockdown rules, especially when you were largely responsible for formulating them, any more acceptable.

Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. Quite normal .

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

[Manoverboard]

..... Quite normal .

If there's one thing I've learnt on here over the years it's that none of us are ' normal ' ...

.... apart from you 'n' OL of course

[anniec]

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

I agree, and suggestions that were it not for Cummings' transgressions (we'll agree to disagree on whether he transgressed or not) those demonstrating, fighting with the police and partying would be sitting meekly at home doing a spot of solitary knitting is well short of the mark.

Any thoughts on Jenrick?

[anniec]

..... Quite normal .

If there's one thing I've learnt on here over the years it's that none of us are ' normal ' ...

.... apart from you 'n' OL of course

I am normal for Norfolk. Should I be concerned?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

I agree, and suggestions that were it not for Cummings' transgressions (we'll agree to disagree on whether he transgressed or not) those demonstrating, fighting with the police and partying would be sitting meekly at home doing a spot of solitary knitting is well short of the mark.

Any thoughts on Jenrick?

Absolutely normal in UK politics

[Onelife]

..... Quite normal .

If there's one thing I've learnt on here over the years it's that none of us are ' normal ' ...

.... apart from you 'n' OL of course

Normal is as normal does...

[screwy]

..... Quite normal .

If there's one thing I've learnt on here over the years it's that none of us are ' normal ' ...

.... apart from you 'n' OL of course

I’m glad you didn’t include me ..!

[Gill W]

But is that really any different to any other "business". You have a team who have been doing the job for years and a new manager comes in who knows nothing about the business and wants to change things. Those who have been there all the time have probably seen every permutation of options in the way things are done and just sit back and say "that will never work - we tried that three years ago with your predecessor" and either the team go or the manager goes.

This isn’t a business though, it’s government.

Seems like Cummings is trying to go for a US style administration staffed by PM appointees from outside Parliament, whose authority stems from the PM rather than Parliament or the Civil Service. The checks and balances are being removed.

Do look back at previous governments Gill and forget your obsession with Cummings. It has always been the same. Blair had Campbell (just as odious as Cummings), Thatcher had Ingham, Wilson had Falkener. And every Prime Minister in between. Every Priime Minister has close personal advisors they can trust while fellow ministers are sharpening their knives. Top civil servants who did not fit have regularly faced the chop. It is nothing new.

Usually civil servants that have been chopped are replaced with other civil servants? Not political appointees

[Gill W]

Quite so. Thousands of innocent people died and still are. Conveniently forgotten. But at least he didn't drive to Barnard Castle!

I can't come up with anything to compare with the behaviour of Blair/Campbell and have forgotten nothing. However, that doesn't make breaking lockdown rules, especially when you were largely responsible for formulating them, any more acceptable.

Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. Quite normal .

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

We were told to stay at home if we had C19.

He drove to his second home (not his parents home) while his wife had C19 and he was incubating it.

We were also told not to drive to second homes.

He drove to Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday (also his wife’s birthday) for an ‘eyetest’ at a time we were asked not to make unnecessary journeys.

The vast majority of the country were doing their utmost to adhere to the lockdown.

Don’t you think he should have at least held his hands up and said he was wrong and apologise, instead of arrogantly engineering a bizarre explanation?

[Gill W]

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

I agree, and suggestions that were it not for Cummings' transgressions (we'll agree to disagree on whether he transgressed or not) those demonstrating, fighting with the police and partying would be sitting meekly at home doing a spot of solitary knitting is well short of the mark.

Any thoughts on Jenrick?

Absolutely normal in UK politics

Normal for this government

[Manoverboard]

I am normal for Norfolk. Should I be concerned?

I'm not sure ...

The third time we went to Norfolk we had to stop and ask for directions in one of the villages.

A slightly tipsy local gentleman replied " If I wor goin there I wunna start from ere " but fast forward 30 years and we had exactly the same conversation in Darzet

So ... you decide

[oldbluefox]

..... Quite normal .

If there's one thing I've learnt on here over the years it's that none of us are ' normal ' ...

.... apart from you 'n' OL of course

I am normal for Norfolk. Should I be concerned?

I always knew there must be one!!! Don't tell the others

[oldbluefox]

I am normal for Norfolk. Should I be concerned?

I'm not sure ...

The third time we went to Norfolk we had to stop and ask for directions in one of the villages.

A slightly tipsy local gentleman replied " If I wor goin there I wunna start from ere " but fast forward 30 years and we had exactly the same conversation in Darzet

So ... you decide

Perhaps he'd moved...... Just saying

[Manoverboard]

Don’t you think he should have at least held his hands up and said he was wrong and apologise ...

Well there's a novel idea.

[towny44]

This isn’t a business though, it’s government.

Seems like Cummings is trying to go for a US style administration staffed by PM appointees from outside Parliament, whose authority stems from the PM rather than Parliament or the Civil Service. The checks and balances are being removed.

Do look back at previous governments Gill and forget your obsession with Cummings. It has always been the same. Blair had Campbell (just as odious as Cummings), Thatcher had Ingham, Wilson had Falkener. And every Prime Minister in between. Every Priime Minister has close personal advisors they can trust while fellow ministers are sharpening their knives. Top civil servants who did not fit have regularly faced the chop. It is nothing new.

Usually civil servants that have been chopped are replaced with other civil servants? Not political appointees

But wasn't David Frost formerly a civil servant?

[Onelife]

Don’t you think he should have at least held his hands up and said he was wrong and apologise ...

Well there's a novel idea.

He doesn’t strike me as a born-again Christian Gill …hallelujah!!

.

[johnds]

I can't come up with anything to compare with the behaviour of Blair/Campbell and have forgotten nothing. However, that doesn't make breaking lockdown rules, especially when you were largely responsible for formulating them, any more acceptable.

Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. Quite normal .

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

We were told to stay at home if we had C19.

He drove to his second home (not his parents home) while his wife had C19 and he was incubating it.

We were also told not to drive to second homes.

He drove to Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday (also his wife’s birthday) for an ‘eyetest’ at a time we were asked not to make unnecessary journeys.

The vast majority of the country were doing their utmost to adhere to the lockdown.

Don’t you think he should have at least held his hands up and said he was wrong and apologise, instead of arrogantly engineering a bizarre explanation?

Yawn

[Mervyn and Trish]

I can't come up with anything to compare with the behaviour of Blair/Campbell and have forgotten nothing. However, that doesn't make breaking lockdown rules, especially when you were largely responsible for formulating them, any more acceptable.

Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. Quite normal .

Though the police investigation showed his transgression was minor on the BC trip and the Durham one was quite legal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him. But I think it's time to move on. The thing that is killing people is Covid 19, not Dominic Cummings.

We were told to stay at home if we had C19.

He drove to his second home (not his parents home) while his wife had C19 and he was incubating it.

We were also told not to drive to second homes.

He drove to Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday (also his wife’s birthday) for an ‘eyetest’ at a time we were asked not to make unnecessary journeys.

The vast majority of the country were doing their utmost to adhere to the lockdown.

Don’t you think he should have at least held his hands up and said he was wrong and apologise, instead of arrogantly engineering a bizarre explanation?

No. He was investigated by the police. The end..