Oh I didn’t mean the civil service

I meant the broader “machinery of government”. The whole minister/spad/No 10 coterie.

There *are* issues with the Civil Service in Whitehall but broadly it’s much easier to deal with the Civil Servants than their bosses not least because generally they have a very good grasp of what you’re talking about and when they don’t agree with you it’s usually for a well thought through reason, because difficult problems rarely have a simple or clean solution. And if a problem isn’t difficult you’re probably not talking about it in the first place.

Posted By: Old Man on December 17th 2021 at 09:05:24

Message Thread

I ve thought for some time now (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 07:49:16
- When you read that the person who has been asked to investigate all the parties (General Chat) - Trent_Canary, Dec 17, 12:49:33
- That sounds a bit condescending to suggest anyone under 35 (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Dec 17, 10:38:00
- Blimey. A sensible grown up politics conversation (General Chat) - Captain Bligh, Dec 17, 10:10:37
  - Shame it's all going to get deleted (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Dec 17, 10:20:38
    - Rules are for the guidance of the wise (General Chat) - CWC, Dec 17, 10:26:10
  - *cough* (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 10:16:53
    - Hot rum and lemon 👍 (n/m) (General Chat) - Captain Bligh, Dec 17, 10:43:47
  - probably everyone over 40! :) (n/m) (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 10:15:57
- morning. (n/m) (General Chat) - shoddy, Dec 17, 09:32:08
  - and good morning to you, too (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 09:37:08
- the people get the government they deserve (n/m) (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Dec 17, 09:13:20
  - GOBB is actually Paul Weller (General Chat) - Under soil heating, Dec 17, 09:26:28
    - Ha ha ha , the wife wishes i was Paul Weller (n/m) (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Dec 17, 09:33:42
    - he thinks he's the boss (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:28:30
      - the funny bit is, springsteen was born in canada (n/m) (General Chat) - Tombs, Dec 17, 09:37:03
        
        really?, that's a coincidence as Justin Bieber was too (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:39:31
        
        pardon (n/m) (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Dec 17, 09:38:42
        
        actually born in ontario, he keeps amending his wiki page though (General Chat) - Tombs, Dec 17, 09:44:18
        
        I see (n/m) (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Dec 17, 09:46:07
        
        🇨🇦 (n/m) (General Chat) - Tombs, Dec 17, 09:48:27
    - Gobbfather (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 09:28:13
      - 🤣 (n/m) (General Chat) - Under soil heating, Dec 17, 09:32:38
  - but I don't get what this society wants I'm going underground (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:23:44
    - agree on Sam Fender btw top album (n/m) (General Chat) - munter, Dec 17, 09:28:09
- I still favour Plato's republic (General Chat) - Cardiff Canary, Dec 17, 08:44:11
  - That was an episode of Yes, Prime Minister (n/m) (General Chat) - watfordcanary, Dec 17, 09:57:48
    - Prescient (General Chat) - Cardiff Canary, Dec 17, 10:54:24
- Funnily enough there's a law to prevent exactly this from happening (n/m) (General Chat) - NxNW, Dec 17, 08:40:32
- There is a real issue (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 08:39:49
  - Trouble is your only requirement as an mp is to be able to talk (General Chat) - trt354, Dec 17, 09:12:12
  - As a civil servant I always find it interesting (General Chat) - Cardiff Canary, Dec 17, 08:57:08
    - Oh I didn’t mean the civil service (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 09:05:24
      - Nifty (General Chat) - Cardiff Canary, Dec 17, 09:12:28
        
        Because you lot are advising on how to run things (General Chat) - CWC, Dec 17, 09:51:42
        
        But should that come out of the public purse? (General Chat) - Cardiff Canary, Dec 17, 10:11:50
  - Also just practical knowledge (General Chat) - camcan, Dec 17, 08:45:33
  - If only there was some way that we could all vote for who we wanted to be politicians (General Chat) - NxNW, Dec 17, 08:42:33
    - If only indeed (General Chat) - CWC, Dec 17, 09:40:22
      - Conservative With Connections?? (General Chat) - NxNW, Dec 17, 10:02:52
    - That’s the thing though (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 08:51:18
      - I'd vote for you and BWOD to lead the country (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:27:48
        
        Thank you 😊 but I definitely wouldn't want it. Where do people get that lust for power (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Dec 17, 10:03:50
        
        Bristol (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 10:17:26
        
        People might say that I should strive for more, but I'm so happy I can't see the point (n/m) (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Dec 17, 10:05:01
        
        In that administration I could see a gap opening up for you (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 09:34:39
        
        not for me, I'd cock it up (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:57:00
      - and yet incredibly, people still have immense faith in it (General Chat) - Tombs, Dec 17, 08:56:22
      - That last paragraph, it's the least worst option (n/m) (General Chat) - NxNW, Dec 17, 08:53:42
    - Rather depends who you're choosing between (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 08:48:35
      - If you want more say than simply voting in an election, isn't the answer to join your (General Chat) - NxNW, Dec 17, 08:58:07
      - I don’t agree with Dominic Cummings on anything much (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 08:53:24
        
        Crucially of course (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 09:54:51
        
        Tbh, we've got a six-year-old in charge now (n/m) (General Chat) - jamesward, Dec 17, 09:57:21
        
        not for long - won't get to his 7th b'day jelly & balloons i think (n/m) (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 10:00:17
        
        Wonder how long Carrie will stick around when he's an ex Prime Minister (n/m) (General Chat) - jamesward, Dec 17, 10:02:24
        
        or how long he'll stick around, has tended to be the issue! (n/m) (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 10:03:05
        
        Yes, though he's getting on a bit now (General Chat) - jamesward, Dec 17, 10:05:18
        
        It's not uniquely british (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 09:27:47
        
        I've been nodding along with agreement as I've been reading your posts OM until this one! (General Chat) - Bravo win or die, Dec 17, 09:14:14
        
        She was a poor candidate (General Chat) - Old Man, Dec 17, 09:27:42
        
        She was, you're perfectly right (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 09:31:43
        
        to me (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:30:11
- Agreed about working first. Ideally running or owning a business and preferably an SME. (n/m) (General Chat) - BINMEN8R, Dec 17, 07:59:38
  - That’d give a very narrow outlook (General Chat) - CWC, Dec 17, 09:27:31
    - vimto (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Dec 17, 09:30:33
  - That, or anything at all (General Chat) - paulg, Dec 17, 08:03:55
    - Totally agree. The "career politician" is just trouble. (n/m) (General Chat) - Under soil heating, Dec 17, 08:25:14

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