mint Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Don't know if anyone's still interested in what goes on in the Ole Country but here's the latest scandal but nobody knows yet whether any Sex is involved:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8820097/Liam-Fox-Adam-Werritty-inquiry-to-include-business-links-of-close-friend.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I don't care if there was any sex or not so long as it is not done at the tax payers expense, that riles me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 But have you no concern about how an unauthorised and un-vetted person is able to come and go at MOD offices and attend politically sensitive meetings abroad in the company of Fox with apparently nobody thinking it unacceptable?[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I am concerned about the access given to the MOD and meetings, but not the exact nature of their relationship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Yes, of course, id, that's what is so unbelievable about this affair. National security is not something the head of the MOD seems to know anything about.And here is a bit more and, yes, I too would like to know what this man was doing at all those meetings.http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/davidhughes/100110080/the-question-liam-fox-should-have-been-asked/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 It stinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 [quote user="sweet 17"] Don't know if anyone's still interested in what goes on in the Ole Country but here's the latest scandal but nobody knows yet whether any Sex is involved:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8820097/Liam-Fox-Adam-Werritty-inquiry-to-include-business-links-of-close-friend.html[/quote]Apparently; Werritty was the best man. [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Gardian"]It stinks.[/quote]Possibly. I wonder why?I suspect that Liam Fox wanted someone he felt comfortable with to act as a sounding board for ideas. Someone who wasn't a politician or a civil servant or in the military, an intelligent man in the street. His long term friend fitted the bill. And then it just grew, and Werrity became an indispensible adjunct.Of course, I may be wrong.Another thing that may also be stinking is the Opposition front bench. I suspect, also, that they saw an opportunity for mischief making that would deflect attention away from their not-very-scintillating lame duck of a leader. Yhis does strike me as being something of a manufactured crisis.Either way, Liam Fox does seem to have dug himself a hole and has fallen into it. Will he be helped to climb out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have heard that within the MOD he is personally popular, even though he has been the bearer of bad news re the defence cuts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Yes, it is so disappointing when Tories stoop to Labour practices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Clarkkent"][quote user="Gardian"]It stinks.[/quote]Possibly. I wonder why?I suspect that Liam Fox wanted someone he felt comfortable with to act as a sounding board for ideas. Someone who wasn't a politician or a civil servant or in the military, an intelligent man in the street. His long term friend fitted the bill. And then it just grew, and Werrity became an indispensible adjunct.[/quote]I reckon that you're not far wide of the mark. Maybe "It stinks" is a bit OTT, but the stupidity of a senior politician in using somebody for such high level discussions who wasn't in one of those 3 categories, simply beggars belief.The Press smell blood and won't stop until they get something on him, however trivial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 So, let's say you are a senior politician, and an "interested group" says to you "We'd like to pay for your best mate to be one of your advisors." The person will probably have access to secret material, but will certainly be on the inside when it come to determining policy - DEFENCE policy, no less. a) What do you do?b) How do you think it will LOOK when it gets out?If the answer to a) is "Accept" then you are well down the road to corruption (to say it mildly)If the answer to b) is "I don't care" or "I will just bluff it out", then to my mind you are showing a disdain for the electorate that they would do well to remember at the next election.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Is anyone suggesting such subversion? I didn't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="idun"]Is anyone suggesting such subversion? I didn't think so. [/quote]Listening to R4 this morning, that is exactly the impression that I got. RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Surely Mr Fox is not the only one culpable here, surely senior civil servants were well placed to kick him out of any meeting where they thought his presence was not appropriate ? (After all Mr Fox may be a here today, gone tomorrow minister, the civil servants are more likely to be there for the duration.)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15232400As some one else said, how convenient for Ed Balls that this takes the spotlight away from his lacklustre performance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Pickles"][quote user="idun"]Is anyone suggesting such subversion? I didn't think so. [/quote]Listening to R4 this morning, that is exactly the impression that I got. RegardsPickles[/quote] I'll try and catch R4 news later. I like R4 news, I always say it is the proper news and it sort of is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 RH, Civil servants can advise the minister but he can override them. There are strict rules about employing anyone(even a close friend) as a special advisor. These do not seem to have been followed in this case especially the one which states that the minister must have the prior approval of Downing Street. IMO it is clearly wrong that any one can attend confidential meetings at the MOD without having the relevant security clearance. This again does not appear to have been done in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Pickles"][quote user="idun"]Is anyone suggesting such subversion? I didn't think so. [/quote]Listening to R4 this morning, that is exactly the impression that I got. [/quote]I know it's the Grauniad, but it makes interesting reading ...http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/11/shangri-la-liam-fox-adam-werrittyRegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="idun"]I am concerned about the access given to the MOD and meetings, but not the exact nature of their relationship.[/quote] He will have been given a visitors pass .....then escorted so they will know how many times he visited . Unless he has been issued with a pass and how he got one and why if thats the case would be another question ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Russethouse"]As some one else said, how convenient for Ed Balls that this takes the spotlight away from his lacklustre performance...[/quote]I know that it is only a minor point, but I don't think that you should blame Mr Balls for the shortcomings of Mr Milliband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Clarkkent"][quote user="Russethouse"] As some one else said, how convenient for Ed Balls that this takes the spotlight away from his lacklustre performance...[/quote]I know that it is only a minor point, but I don't think that you should blame Mr Balls for the shortcomings of Mr Milliband.[/quote]Not only that, we are not, at least in this affair, looking at the performance of Labour (and I am not in any way defending them or even pro Labour) but we are taking a very close look at this apparent breach of security by the head of the MOD who is after all charged with the country's security at a time when, according to politicians and the police, we are threatened with terrorism from abroad and from within our own shores.Sorry, perhaps I shouldn't use "our" now that I no longer live there but, like many on here, I do have family and friends there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="sweet 17"]Sorry, perhaps I shouldn't use "our" now that I no longer live there .[/quote]If as I suspect you are still a UK passport holder then I think you are entitled to use 'our' in this context.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 Thank you, Rabbie. Nice to be "included"![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Clarkkent"][quote user="Russethouse"] As some one else said, how convenient for Ed Balls that this takes the spotlight away from his lacklustre performance...[/quote]I know that it is only a minor point, but I don't think that you should blame Mr Balls for the shortcomings of Mr Milliband.[/quote]LOl - Freudian slip, I was thinking something along the lines of 'Balls', [:'(] what I meant to write is Mliiband who is after all charged with the country's security at a time when, according to politicians and the police, we are threatened with terrorism from abroad and from within our own shores.Isn't that the Home Sectretary's job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="Russethouse"]Surely Mr Fox is not the only one culpable here, surely senior civil servants were well placed to kick him out of any meeting where they thought his presence was not appropriate ? [/quote]RH ..................Can you imagine the difficulty that those civil servants would have had in trying to deal with a situation like that?Impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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