Comments on: Damian Green Round Up: The Martyr, The Clunking Fist And The End Of The Commons http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html Tabloid news for broadsheet readers Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:02:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: chenier http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400536 chenier Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:08:05 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400536 And lo and behold we now know a bit more about the Civil Servant who seems, very curiously, to have been in total ignorance of the content of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, but it's beginning to make a lot more sense. According to the Times he is only 26, and he's an Assistant Private Secretary, otherwse known as a gofer. 'Conservative sources last night admitted that the official had asked Mr Green, the Shadow Immigration Minister, for a job but said that he had been turned down and that no inducements had been offered in exchange for any information.' Aye there's the rub; a whistleblower determined on uncovering the tawdry acts of pols and their officials can use the full might of the legislation that trade unionists in the Civil Service fought so hard for after Clive Ponting was tried. If, on the other hand, you don't want to blow the whistle because what you really want is someone to give you a job, and you hope that giving that person secret information will get you a job, you are not exactly a martyr to any cause. The Guardian's failure to protect its sources put Sarah Tisdall in jail for three months; no doubt it will be wittering on at great lengths about the freedom the press... And lo and behold we now know a bit more about the Civil Servant who seems, very curiously, to have been in total ignorance of the content of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, but it’s beginning to make a lot more sense.

According to the Times he is only 26, and he’s an Assistant Private Secretary, otherwse known as a gofer.

‘Conservative sources last night admitted that the official had asked Mr Green, the Shadow Immigration Minister, for a job but said that he had been turned down and that no inducements had been offered in exchange for any information.’

Aye there’s the rub; a whistleblower determined on uncovering the tawdry acts of pols and their officials can use the full might of the legislation that trade unionists in the Civil Service fought so hard for after Clive Ponting was tried.

If, on the other hand, you don’t want to blow the whistle because what you really want is someone to give you a job, and you hope that giving that person secret information will get you a job, you are not exactly a martyr to any cause.

The Guardian’s failure to protect its sources put Sarah Tisdall in jail for three months; no doubt it will be wittering on at great lengths about the freedom the press…

]]> By: chenier http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400453 chenier Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:18:04 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400453 And, for the benefit of anyone unfamiliar with the background, I've pulled up a statement made by the FDA back on 30th March 2004 on leaks to the Press and politicians about immigration: ' "However, there are very clear procedures set out in the Civil Service Code to enable a civil servant with genuine concerns to raise them either through their department or directly to the Civil Service Commission. No one raising genuine concerns in this way would suffer any penalty. What is unacceptable is for civil servants to go directly to the media or to politicians. This is a clear breach of civil service rules. Leaks like this damage the relationship of trust between ministers and civil servants, and undermine the UK's system of government. "The FDA campaigned long and hard for the introduction of the Civil Service Code following the prosecution of Clive Ponting. We are currently working with the Cabinet Office to ensure that all civil servants are aware of the code, and of the avenues available to them within their own department to raise any concerns." http://www.fda.org.uk/Media/Union-condemns-immigration-leaks---30-March-2004.aspx The FDA is the trade union which represents the top tranche of the civil service... And, for the benefit of anyone unfamiliar with the background, I’ve pulled up a statement made by the FDA back on 30th March 2004 on leaks to the Press and politicians about immigration:

‘ “However, there are very clear procedures set out in the Civil Service Code to enable a civil servant with genuine concerns to raise them either through their department or directly to the Civil Service Commission. No one raising genuine concerns in this way would suffer any penalty. What is unacceptable is for civil servants to go directly to the media or to politicians. This is a clear breach of civil service rules. Leaks like this damage the relationship of trust between ministers and civil servants, and undermine the UK’s system of government.

“The FDA campaigned long and hard for the introduction of the Civil Service Code following the prosecution of Clive Ponting. We are currently working with the Cabinet Office to ensure that all civil servants are aware of the code, and of the avenues available to them within their own department to raise any concerns.”

http://www.fda.org.uk/Media/Union-condemns-immigration-leaks—30-March-2004.aspx

The FDA is the trade union which represents the top tranche of the civil service…

]]> By: chenier http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400447 chenier Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:04:55 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400447 Good to see that the Telegraph's Joshua Rozenberg has finally got around to noticing the existence of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, some six hours after I Pontinged it out... I wonder if he reads Anorak... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/lawreports/joshuarozenberg/3534362/Why-Tory-MP-was-arrested.html Good to see that the Telegraph’s Joshua Rozenberg has finally got around to noticing the existence of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, some six hours after I Pontinged it out…

I wonder if he reads Anorak…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/lawreports/joshuarozenberg/3534362/Why-Tory-MP-was-arrested.html

]]> By: Justlooking http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400438 Justlooking Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:51:18 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400438 Mr Anorak has found the perfect 'image' for our unelected leader. I think he should contact Mr Brown's make-over team. Mr Anorak has found the perfect ‘image’ for our unelected leader. I think he should contact Mr Brown’s make-over team.

]]> By: June http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400405 June Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:47:04 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400405 My somewhat cynical side is wondering what the Govt is trying to get up to behind the smokescreen My somewhat cynical side is wondering what the Govt is trying to get up to behind the smokescreen

]]> By: Chenier http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400391 Chenier Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:02:37 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400391 Well, there's the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, a very shiny and extremely spangly whistleblower's code put in to enable people, including Civil Servants, grappling with their consciences over what they believe to be malfeasance of any kind, to obtain protection under the law. So the big question is why the Civil Servant isn't claiming protection under it. I don't think there's a bat in hell's chance that Gordon Brown knew about it... Well, there’s the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, a very shiny and extremely spangly whistleblower’s code put in to enable people, including Civil Servants, grappling with their consciences over what they believe to be malfeasance of any kind, to obtain protection under the law.

So the big question is why the Civil Servant isn’t claiming protection under it.

I don’t think there’s a bat in hell’s chance that Gordon Brown knew about it…

]]> By: yampster http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400387 yampster Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:55:56 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400387 I saw that. We know where you live. Pack a small bag and wait by the door I saw that. We know where you live. Pack a small bag and wait by the door

]]> By: June http://www.anorak.co.uk/196258/politicians/damian-green-round-up-the-martyr-the-clunking-fist-and-the-end-of-the-commons.html/comment-page-1#comment-400386 June Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:45:08 +0000 http://www.anorak.co.uk/?p=196258#comment-400386 the Government the Government

]]>