tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170277338293360731.post2353602139677275886..comments2023-10-28T05:47:57.645-07:00Comments on victor meldrew's brother: The Home Office Mandarins!bryboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00854869835916315551noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170277338293360731.post-3429914282383946222012-04-24T07:12:10.245-07:002012-04-24T07:12:10.245-07:00I am not sure that you are right that the mandarin...I am not sure that you are right that the mandarins rule the politicians. I am sure that "Sir Humphreys" played games. Their equivalents in Local Government did the same but rarely succeeded.<br />You are aware of my history. What I CAN say with total certainty is that during the 1980s Labour local politicians started the total "politicisation" of supposedly "politically neutral" officers. I'm sure that by 1997 that process was complete and the unprincipled "Sir Humphrey" danced to his political master's tune.<br />I saw, in the 1980s, otherwise sound and professional Chief Officers "jump" to the demands of politicians for fear of being sacked on totally trumped up charges. I saw a couple or so sacked, on trumped up (perhaps not - they had transgressed in a minor way) charges because they insisted in giving non-political professional advice. The **** lickers were favoured. Even promoted beyond their abilities (Peter Principle) <br />They couldn't catch me because I never transgressed but I wouldn't abandon the "politically neutral" demands of my conditions of service. Easily fixed. They made me redundant and then paid millions to one of the top 5 consultancies to replace my advice. They could set the political terms with those!<br />For me ? Best thing ever. I suddenly earned 3 times as much as a freelancer and totally without the stress.<br />This morning on Today I heard Gus O'Donnel. He was impressive and gave me heart that there were still perhaps some in the Civil Service, who continued in "politically neutral". Maybe he was lying. Who knows.bewickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02808667730361613052noreply@blogger.com