The Civil Service is not apolitical. At the top it is very political indeed. As one former Wilson Labour cabinet minister said on being met at the front door of his department by his PPS, at last I get to meet the real politicians, the permanent politicians. Why do you think Brexit is stuck in the Whitehall quagmire? Its because Brexit is not the Civil Service policy and therefore must be blocked at every turn.
Secondly, personalities matter. Who likes or dislikes whom. I find it more believable that Sedwell and Williamson did not get on than the myth that Sedwell 's personal views on Williamson could be set aside and not influence Sedwell's report in any way. Sedwell is but a man and has all the failings and prejudices men have.
The acid test in this affair is who benefits and who loses? Clearly
Williamson has lost but how did May benefit? She gets rid of a Cabinet stone in her leopard spot shoes and gets an ardent supporter, R Stewart, of her rotten deal. So a net gain of one more Cabinet remainer.
Add in May's long record of lying to us and my belief leopards do no change their spots I find Williamson a more credible witness.
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Or perhaps in Rory Stewart, someone of real substance who I admire, we get a MP who thinks for a living rather than the incoherent ramblings of the ERG and their ilk.
Another Old Etonian? No thanks.
i judge people on merit not the school they went to.
They are where they are because of the school they went to gave them an inside track on top jobs. Plenty of OE ties sported by the top brass. Not so many bog standard comp ties on view on Brigadiers and above. You are a self righteous prig Major.
I have never been called a self-righteous prig before and whether I am one or not is totally irrelevant to my comment which I shall repeat.
"I judge people on merit not the school they went to."
It's a great shame that you increasingly let the issue of someone's 'class' colour your judgement and reasoning.
For an ex senior Bank of England employee, married to a Doctor with a house near Yeovil and another in France you make an unlikely class warrior!!
Lack of social mobility is now seen as the UK's big problem. OE dominance of our political elite is a big part of this.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1124694951370084352
Watch this and learn what a dick head Stewart is. So how did he get to be an MP? An Old Etonian ex army dick head is still a dick head as this interview shows.
Try and produce evidence Major and learn to use twitter
https://twitter.com/katcashmeade/status/1124694951370084352
I've had a look at that 'clip' and I'd agree he was foolish to say 80% of the public supported the WA but he did try and immediately correct himself but of course the clip ends prematurely.
As to the photo used they clearly picked one to make him look as demented as possible but then such is how Twitter can be used and I'm extremely surprised you appear to put so much weight behind it. By the way I do know how to use it https://twitter.com/NiallWarry but still not convinced of its value.
Anyway back to Rory Stewart. I have read two of his books namely 'Places in between' describing his epic 6,000 mile walk from Turkey to Afghanistan and his more recent book 'The Marches' a moving account of his walk along Hardrians Wall with his father before his death. I defy anyone to read these books and not conclude he is a thoughtful man of substance.
As Prison's Minsiter he, uncharacteristically for an MP, said publically that if he hadn't made the changes needed in one year he would resign. He is now of course in the Cabinet as DFID.
As to his support for the current WA, which is still the ONLY way to leave the EU that will work without severely damaging our economy, I for one one agree with him. It is far from perfect but then even JRM now accepts leaving the EU has to be a process which after 45 of integration is very true. Then as I've said many times before on here ALL trade agreements require adherance to rules & regulations, paying associated costs and abiding by an adjudication process. All Successful trade deal contain all those elements which have to negotiated.
Rory Stewart is not perfect, what politician is, but IMO he beats the other contenders hands down. Now you can disagree with me but I think resorting to insulting me rather weakens your case.
look at the link I posted and you wll find what a liar Stewart is.
https://twitter.com/katcashmeade/status/1124694951370084352
The Major is like the Colonel in the Bridge on the River Kwai, doing what the enemy wants as his army hero Stewart is doing right now.
Repeal of the 1972 gets us out of the EU. Simples Major.
Stewart shows his public school army rank deference in this clip.
https://twitter.com/itvpeston/status/1123671144664641539
If you say so Eric but while it is true I was a Major didn't you achieve the equivalent of Colonel in the civil service whilst at the Bank of England?
We never used ranks or titles in the BoE Everybody was Mr or Ms except the Governor
Come on Eric don't be shy the Civil Servants did and does have grades and I seem to recall you were at least a Senior Executive Officer.
BoE is not HMG
Understood but it seems there are some good jobs to be had that pay well.
https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salary/Bank-of-England-Salaries-E10100.htm
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