Comments on: Working Ministerial Statements

By: Des McConaghy

Des McConaghy — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:41:35 +0000

My understanding - perhaps I am wrong! - is that Sir John Bourn as Comptroller and Auditor General is an officer of the House of Commons, and paid by and answerable to the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts. It seems especially important that his post and responsibilities are to serve parliament and not the Prime Minister and the Executive. It therefore seems a questionable step and one of dubious constitutionality for the C&AG to accept an important role paid for and anseerable to the Prime Minister concerning the probity of the Prime Minister and the Executive.

By: Francis Irving

Francis Irving — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 06:18:22 +0000

You can find the two statements: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2006-03-23a.33WS.5
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2006-03-23a.34WS.0

By: Chuck Unsworth

Chuck Unsworth — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 14:47:16 +0000

This is a completely pointless appointment, anyway. If Ministers can’t see for themselves where their own conflict of interests lie, and are unable to differentiate between what is ‘legal’ and what is ‘right’ then they shouldn’t be in the job.

This is just another means of shifting the blame for immoral actions onto the shoulders of ‘advisors’. These disgusting people have lost all sense of rectitude and decency.

Presumably if Ministers decide that they have not abided by the ‘Code’ they’ll be able to slap themselves on the wrist and carry on as before. No sanctions and no independence of scrutiny or action by the ‘Advisor’. Blair rules no matter what the machinery.

Out with the lot of them.

By: Michael McCarthy

Michael McCarthy — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:28:27 +0000

Major contradiction here. The government has appointed as "independent" adviser someone it feels comfortable with. And Blair sets this "independent" person’s remit and decides that he won’t apparently be open to representations by anyone or about anything outside the magic circle Blair chooses to draw.

Stand by for the usual whitewash job.