The Conservative Party

Brewster's millions said:
It’s not about Raab or any other individual minister, it’s about maintaining high standards across the upper echelons of the civil service, and being able to intervene when these standards are breached.

The past few years have produced countless examples of poor judgement and behaviour by senior civil servants - Partygate in particular - and it’s important that ministers (of all persuasions) are able to tackle this without fear of being hauled up for bullying. That’s why I’m uneasy about simply calling out Raab on this as he may actually be right.

Obviously for many on here, he’s just another Tory so and so who was obviously in the wrong. They may, however, want to have a look at some of the allegations made against Labour’s last prime minister, and consider how these were covered up at the time. He makes Raab look like a complete snowflake.
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In our model, Ministers set the tone and are ultimately accountable. I would argue the partygate shambles shows the need for further separation of the senior civil service from ministers rather than more hands on management by them. SCS's such as permanent secretaries are supposed to be politically neutral appointments but (a) in practice that's increasingly not the case with both tory and labour governments having tried to mess with this (b) the lack of clarity on potential conflicts (serving government vs upholding public good) is a mess too. I will concede there is a structural issue in that currently SCSs can hide behind ministerial accountability, this does need fixing though I would not suggest it is our biggest issue at the moment and in fact recent conservative governments have been pretty good at driving out/shuffling SCS's that they don't like.

Either way there is probably a case for reform of ministerial and civil service relationships, because like everything else at the moment it's become a shambles. There is a balance to be had but I don't think the answer is letting people of the calibre of Dominic Raab directly hire and fire civil servants (and I would say that of other politicians on both sides of the house). A clearer and statutory role and relationship would be a better option.
 
This may not be the right thread, but for those of you who like to follow political discussion I can thoroughly recommend the podcast - The rest is Politics, presented by Alistair Campbell - big Burnley fan, and Rory Stewart. A weekly round-up of political events both here and across the world. Neither of them hold back when it comes to the like of Johnson and Truss..
 
Malcontent said:
This may not be the right thread, but for those of you who like to follow political discussion I can thoroughly recommend the podcast - The rest is Politics, presented by Alistair Campbell - big Burnley fan, and Rory Stewart. A weekly round-up of political events both here and across the world. Neither of them hold back when it comes to the like of Johnson and Truss..
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With respect, I'd rather hit in my hands and clap.
 
He's
Malcontent said:
This may not be the right thread, but for those of you who like to follow political discussion I can thoroughly recommend the podcast - The rest is Politics, presented by Alistair Campbell - big Burnley fan, and Rory Stewart. A weekly round-up of political events both here and across the world. Neither of them hold back when it comes to the like of Johnson and Truss..
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For a Tory I always thought Rory Stewart went against the grain and even had Empathy in him which is a rarity in that Cult.
 
This shower of shite that are ruining our country and driving down standards are all narcissists and they’ll do anything to save their own skin.
Hence these endless enquiries into their own vile behaviours cos none of them think they’ve done anything wrong despite the fact that everybody else can see them for what they are.
 
Can't have people wanting to vomit through fear of their boss in the workplace.
It was suggested Raab had moderated his behaviour since the allegations were made, but if he had got away with it he would probably have gone back to the intimidation, possibly doubling down due to vindication.
 
Raab always had an appalling history. Amazed he stayed in position. But this lot have got themselves in a mighty political mess. Hunt made the change from Borisism possible, but only by promising to champion the deeply unpopular NHS policies only really in the interest of the grandees in the Lords with shares in Private Medicine. They gave the backing to the one nation Tories who forced people like Steve Baker into 'having a rethink' mode.

Sadly the policies that brought the grandees into play have harmed millions, and horrified and alienated everyone except the most ideologically hardline of NHS skeptics. There's a tiny number of Centrist / small Conservatives who generally go for reform and modernisation but have lost touch with the reality of over a decade of progressively worse underfunding. My impression is there must be fewer ever week.

Taking Raab out was a neccessity. He's a fucking nasty man and a barely competant worker, and far too many people know it. He is not popular. He was singled out as a sacrificial lamb in my mind, no doubt about it. They've made a big deal out of it, stretched it out. It's a play for time, and not a very clever one, because it shows Sunak wasn't strong enough, otherwise he would have got a decent deputy/cabinet together in the first place. But they'll take any delay on offer. Because inflation bit back, again. And that NHS issue is bad.
 
mosssideblue said:
Bastard Tories at it again. Barclay seeking court order to make the upcoming Nurses Strike illegal.
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Beat me too it.

They are losing that battle so go to the courts to stop legitimate grievances being aired.

Tory Bastards.
 
Rees-Mogg on C4 getting rinsed - tried to say its all the work of Bolshie civil servants so when asked whether Raab was wrong to resign he tied himself in knots avoiding saying no but saying it was unnecessary then when asked if Sunak should have sacked him had he refused to leave the "does not compute" look came across his face lol
 
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