"These are bigger than the both of us" was the slogan used in the 70s adverts, if I remember correctly. Bought some a couple of years ago. Just tasted of sugar. Nothing like those I enjoyed as a kid.
Nah, definitely a Gareth........
This is decent questioning. This is the approach that should be applied to ALL parties.
I've said it before, but the government is essentially delivering incremental step changes towards a bigger goal, rather than "big bang" events. Therefore, they don't get the same credit. It's a problem. I have issues with some of their actions, but they are delivering some genuinely good things.
Available from Newsagents.
Horseshoe populist politics.
When I left the civil service in 2023, an often used phrase was "working at pace". As part of that, people regularly chased you for stuff. Sounds like that was happening here. That said, dealing with the chasers often stopped you from.....er....working at pace! 😀
But Lee Anderson has an inbox full of emails from his constituents saying the Prime Minister lied. How can you dismiss that? 😀
We can but hope!
I said in another response that in this nutty world of ours, Anderson will end up being the Justice Secretary in a Reform government. Criminal trial verdicts to be decided by the contents of his inbox.
Indeed. And an often repeated mantra in the Civil Service was "working at pace", still going strong when I left in 2023. Working at pace meant people regularly chasing you for stuff! And the chasing sometimes interrupted the scope to actually crack on and work at pace....
Screwdrivers all round!!
I'm sure we have plenty of competent, normal diplomats who could have normally stepped into the role. But as we see day after day, the Trump administration is not normal.
The sad thing is, we would probably have struggled. I couldn't really think of anybody other than perhaps David Miliband, who apparently ruled himself out. And it's often forgotten that a lot of trade related issues were covered by the EU until 2020. Rebuilding capability takes time.
Based on his approach recently, Farage will deny he ever said that, even if a clip of him saying just that is played back to him.
These committees are often interesting and informative. The MPs on them do seem to take their roles very seriously.
People like Farage often get devoured by the toxic environment that they helped to create.
I don't think Orban had much choice. But I do wonder if he believed Tisza wouldn't quite get the 2/3 majority needed to make deep changes. I think you are right about Trump.
I was personally pleased about Hungary. But the Bulgarian result and what it means for government there will be interesting. Maybe Hungary will be a turning point. I hope so. But even with Orban gone, there is a lot for Tisza/Magyar to unravel.
The Lib Dems are the only competitive alternative to the Tories (possibly Reform) in my area, so I've voted for them for 20 years. Their local councillors are decent people. But, some of Ed Davey's recent interventions have been poor.
Different!
Tomorrow's committee meeting should be interesting.
Has anyone got a waaffeur thin mint handy?
Yep, agree.
She reminds me of the excitable young Trots, attending CPSA annual conference for the first time, and trying to cram the usual clichés into their maiden conference speeches.
This will no doubt all be made clearer at the Committee session that Ollie Robbins is due to attend tomorrow. Committee members, regardless of party, are usually pretty good at establishing the facts.
It's not uncommon in the Civil Service for people to be declared successful in an appointment campaign, subject to passing vetting (where a job requires it). The expectation is normally that people take up new roles within 4 weeks. But, vetting can potentially delay that.
Will be interesting to see what Ollie Robbins has to say to the committee tomorrow.
Lee Andersons inbox is overflowing, I tell ya.....
Would Option 1 be a serving civil servant?