speedbirdone Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Fox out Hammond in, Transport to Defence. It seems Ministers chop and change and slot into their new departments quite easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Ministerial shuffles are always something that has confused me. For example, I'm not sure this has ever happened, a transport minister gets the sack and is knocked sideways to fisheries minister or something. What does he know about the fishing industry? What did he know about the transport industry for that matter? The same can be said for most managers. I know of many managers that don't know their exhaust pipe from their elbow yet these people are making highlevel decisions. it's just plain crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonj Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Did you never see Yes (Prime) Minister? Civil servants are the constant in the political parties and ministers merry-go-round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 HMRC's top tax official refused to answer questions in front of a select committee last week, despite the fact he is a public servant, paid from the public purse and presumably accountable to an elected government. But he chose to be silent and our elected representatives had no power to get him to speak. So, in answer to the question, civil servants run their departments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyofborg Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 an alternative would be something like they have in the US where the PM appoints someone who isn't an MP but might possibly know what they are doing. that would give greater separation between the executive and legislature, which is something we really do need. accountability could still be maintained by forcing them to answer questions before parliament and select committees like ministers do now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitisbad Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I'd like to think it's like the thick of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitisbad Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 an alternative would be something like they have in the US where the PM appoints someone who isn't an MP but might possibly know what they are doing. that would give greater separation between the executive and legislature, which is something we really do need. accountability could still be maintained by forcing them to answer questions before parliament and select committees like ministers do now Is that not the idea of the Lords? well the once the old ones die out and it's only life peerages. things like the law lords, expereienced judges, surely are in a better postion to vote on their area of expertese than MP's. I know the lords are appointed by the Gvt so they might pick experts than might side with them, but the idea of a load of relative experts having a say, although ont democratically elected, seems like a good idea to me considering the jokers we end up with as MP's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 an alternative would be something like they have in the US where the PM appoints someone who isn't an MP but might possibly know what they are doing. that would give greater separation between the executive and legislature, which is something we really do need. accountability could still be maintained by forcing them to answer questions before parliament and select committees like ministers do now Doesn't matter if they are not an MP, they will still have a political persausion ... another example of jobs for the boys, which is why this little episode came to light in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricgem2002 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 i bet he gets to keep his pension too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyofborg Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Doesn't matter if they are not an MP, they will still have a political persausion ... another example of jobs for the boys, which is why this little episode came to light in the first place. you can't stop this being jobs for the boys (and girls) but the PM would have the opportunity to appoint someone who had some understanding of the brief and that make for better government. it would also go some way to rebalancing the power between the executive and the legislature, something which has been sadly lacking over the last 30 or so years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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