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Labour Government Pushing Through Spending Against Civil Servants Advice

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  • ash28
    ash28 Posts: 1,789 Forumite
    Mortgage-free Glee! Debt-free and Proud!
    A._Badger wrote: »
    Heavens above the tribal Labourites must be desperate!

    The story has been confirmed by no less than Jonathan Baum, General Secretary of the First Division Association. In other words, the Civil Servants' trade union. Hardly a mouthpiece of Tory propaganda, or an apparatchik of the Murdoch empire.


    I've never voted Labour in my life and probably never will, but a bit of balance never goes amiss does it?

    How about this from March this year
    The Tories would expect any senior civil servant signing such deals as the accounting officer to require specific written instructions from ministers before their approval. “Without such written directions,” he said, “those officials would have to expect to be held fully to account for any loss of taxpayers’ money that followed.”

    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c71f0886-27b4-11df-863d-00144feabdc0,s01=1.html

    So why would the government be surprised that senior civil servants were asking for letters of direction - when they told them to get them.

    The union man explained what letters of direction were and the usual circumstances under which they were given and that he had heard of a few possilby 3.

    To me it seems like the Tories asked for them specifically.
  • A._Badger
    A._Badger Posts: 5,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    ash28 wrote: »
    I've never voted Labour in my life and probably never will, but a bit of balance never goes amiss does it?

    How about this from March this year



    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c71f0886-27b4-11df-863d-00144feabdc0,s01=1.html

    So why would the government be surprised that senior civil servants were asking for letters of direction - when they told them to get them.

    The union man explained what letters of direction were and the usual circumstances under which they were given and that he had heard of a few possilby 3.

    To me it seems like the Tories asked for them specifically.

    I suggest you read the story from that noted mouthpiece of Tory propaganda, the BBC.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8690312.stm

    It's pretty clear what was going on and will, no doubt, become even clearer as that stalwart of party so enthusiastically supported by StevieJ and kennyboy66, David Laws, starts digging into this muck heap.
  • StevieJ
    StevieJ Posts: 20,174 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    A._Badger wrote: »
    I suggest you read the story from that noted mouthpiece of Tory propaganda, the BBC.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8690312.stm

    It's pretty clear what was going on and will, no doubt, become even clearer as that stalwart of party so enthusiastically supported by StevieJ and kennyboy66, David Laws, starts digging into this muck heap.

    As long as he engages his brain before opening his mouth next time, see no bias thereicon7.gif
    'Just think for a moment what a prospect that is. A single market without barriers visible or invisible giving you direct and unhindered access to the purchasing power of over 300 million of the worlds wealthiest and most prosperous people' Margaret Thatcher
  • ash28
    ash28 Posts: 1,789 Forumite
    Mortgage-free Glee! Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 19 May 2010 at 8:55AM
    A._Badger wrote: »
    I suggest you read the story from that noted mouthpiece of Tory propaganda, the BBC.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8690312.stm

    It's pretty clear what was going on and will, no doubt, become even clearer as that stalwart of party so enthusiastically supported by StevieJ and kennyboy66, David Laws, starts digging into this muck heap.

    I did read the article

    It doesn't really change my thoughts.

    I think the government need to be cautious, when the new Greek government ripped off the elastoplast, look what happened.

    Too much of this, whether it is true or not could be very counter productive.
  • CLAPTON
    CLAPTON Posts: 41,865 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Maybe there should be a Law that says once the date of the election is annouced the government of the day should make NO spending decisions without the full support of the whole parliment.

    I understand the date of the next election is 7th May 2015.
  • kennyboy66_2
    kennyboy66_2 Posts: 2,598 Forumite
    A._Badger wrote: »
    I suggest you read the story from that noted mouthpiece of Tory propaganda, the BBC.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8690312.stm

    It's pretty clear what was going on and will, no doubt, become even clearer as that stalwart of party so enthusiastically supported by StevieJ and kennyboy66, David Laws, starts digging into this muck heap.

    I'm a bit more worried that he is going to embarrass himself again after only being in the job for 1 week.

    It seems like there were 5 letters of direction issued in 2010.

    Amongst which was a desicion on the Basra Wall memorial and a decision to pay compensation to asbestosis victims (£5k), which basically put them back in the position that they were in the 1980', 1990's and up to 2007, when a Law Lords court ruled against them.

    You do worry if power has gone to the heads of the Lib - Dems and wondert if they would be better leaving the smears to the Tory party.
    US housing: it's not a bubble

    Moneyweek, December 2005
  • chucky
    chucky Posts: 15,170 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    A._Badger wrote: »
    I suggest you read the story from that noted mouthpiece of Tory propaganda, the BBC.
    up to 10 days ago - the BBC was the mouthpeice of the Labour party and Labour government.
    stories and facts aren't adding up around here... :eek:
  • Generali
    Generali Posts: 36,411 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    ash28 wrote: »
    Too much of this, whether it is true or not could be very counter productive.

    The thought of the British Civil Service rioting reminds me of a line from some old Radio 4 comedy or another:

    Rabble rouser: "What do we want?"
    Rabble: "Incremental change!"
    Rabble rouser: "When do we want it?"
    Rabble: "As soon as practicable!"
  • ninky_2
    ninky_2 Posts: 5,872 Forumite
    ILW wrote: »
    Ninky
    In your opinion, did the former labour government ever get ANYTHING wrong?


    yes. quite obviously all governments get some things wrong. woud the alternatives have done a better job or even as good a job? no.
    Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves. - Lord Byron
  • ninky_2
    ninky_2 Posts: 5,872 Forumite
    ash28 wrote: »
    All interesting stuff, but,



    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7127819.ece

    If the Tories were saying before the election that any contracts should not be signed with out ministerial direction, why is it now such a surprise that it was sought??

    Another interesting bit in The Times article is the £13bn Defence spend on aircraft tankers - that was signed off in March 2008 - no where near the election.

    http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/tna/+/http://www.mod.uk:80/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/13BillionDealForNewTankerAircraftSigned.htm

    I thought the schools spending was part of a programme that had been running for quite a few years. Is it Building Schools for the Future?? We are currently having a new 6th form college built under the scheme.

    Could there be a little bit of Tory spin going on here?

    it's a bit sad that they are so out of new ideas that all they can do is spin stories about the previous government.

    today we have the amazing 'new' policy from cleggeron. no id cards. wow. i bet that took a while to come up with.
    Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves. - Lord Byron
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