Milliposting

So Milliband is, apparently, a duplicitous non-entity? Two thoughts spring to mind.

First, if he is, surely we should be asking some difficult questions of whoever appointed him to one of our highest ministerial posts? Who would that be, I wonder?

Second, in what way does that distinguish him from any other New Labourite?

Tough on Investment, Tough on the causes of Investment

NuLab so often bang on about how they are investing in the public services. I've noticed one effect of this.

There is an interesting entry on the Policeman's Blog, about speeding prosecutions for emergency services. In short, a copper says he went to help out a colleague and was disciplined for speeding on the way. He thinks, unsurprisingly, that this is a bit rich. What was he meant to do? Proceed slowly to an emergency?

There are some good comments in the blog, but the best is by Twisted Fire Stopper. I hope I won't offend him by quoting it:

I drive Big Red Lorries for a living, and as there is a system of cameras on our main route out of the station, we are continually served with NIP's- we have a white hat who's only task is to process these notices. So far, there have been no prosecutions, but we have to justify, in writing, to the officer concerned, exactly what we were doing, with incident numbers and weather conditions. Our Brigade (I still can't get used to calling it a "service"!) damagement are in the process of bringing in a "Drive to Arrive" poicy, which will further impede our reponse times. Many of my colleagues are throwing their EFAD licences in, as it is only a matter of time before someone gets points on their licence, or someone dies as a result of a driver keeping his eye on the speedo, rather than on the road!

(my emphasis)

As I commented here on Tyresmoke, this tells us that:

(i) his fire station has a full-time person for dealing with this. So now we know where some of the "investment in public services" that NuLab trumpets is actually going ... i.e. to people who create NIPs, firemen who explain that the big red thing in the picture with the flashing blue lights on top is a ... duh ... fire engine ... and people who read the reply from the fireman and cancel out the work of the first person in the chain.

(ii) his colleagues are not stupid; they can see that if the bod in the office slips up, their own licence will get endorsed as a result of them doing their duty, so they are refusing to drive the tenders. So now we know the result of all that investment in public services ... a reduction in the effectiveness of our fire service.

In short, this "investment" made on our behalf by NuLab includes pointless administrative paper shuffling and results in a worse public service. This, I think, is a point that Cameron needs to start making; that there is more to Government than making laws and spending money. You need to think, too. You need to exercise intelligence. You need to manage the arms of Government. And it is about time that someone with management skills was put in No. 10.

Time to Give in to Strikers

Apparently loads of public sector workers went on strike on Wednesday.

Did anyone notice a difference? I didn't. So why not let them stay on strike on a permanent basis? They could have a good rest, and perhaps enjoy walking up and down Kingsway from time to time, and we could actually reduce public expenditure for once.

Thanks Gordon!

We are, are we not, truly lucky to be ruled by such a caring government. Truly fortunate to have, in Gordon Brown, a PM who is so attuned to the needs of the people that he is willing and able to step in at a moments notice, just before the next by-election, feel our economic pain, and not make things even harder for us.

[/sarcastic]

I mean, of course, the cancellation of the 2p rise in fuel duty. Oh, hang on, its not cancelled, just postponed. Again.

Some please tell me - what planet does Gordon live on?