Bullying in the Government

[Barry]

I am absolutely sickened by the unbelievable false allegations being levelled against our totally trustworthy Prime Minister.
The latest allegations are that he has shoved a secretary out of the way to get to her keyboard,
Grabbed someone by the lapels,
Shouted at staff in a threatening manner.

Now this is just unacceptable mudslinging prior to an election.
It must all be being orchestrated by some right wing spinner.

I won't mention the other false allegations regarding mobile phones hitting walls.
MP claims 'raging' Gordon breaks three phones a week by hurling them at the wall | Mail Online

We need to reinforce the picture of our reliable and calm leader who always treats everyone with respect, as we know he has never shown any signs of having a temper.
Not even at PMQs.

[Expounder]

I am absolutely sickened by the unbelievable false allegations being levelled against our totally trustworthy Prime Minister.
The latest allegations are that he has shoved a secretary out of the way to get to her keyboard,
Grabbed someone by the lapels,
Shouted at staff in a threatening manner.

Now this is just unacceptable mudslinging prior to an election.
It must all be being orchestrated by some right wing spinner.

I won't mention the other false allegations regarding mobile phones hitting walls.
MP claims 'raging' Gordon breaks three phones a week by hurling them at the wall | Mail Online

We need to reinforce the picture of our reliable and calm leader who always treats everyone with respect, as we know he has never shown any signs of having a temper.
Not even at PMQs.

Very droll but I don't think many people will give a toss, better someone with some fire in his belly leading the country than a old Etonian chinless wonder.
.,

[Midas]

Very droll but I don't think many people will give a toss, better someone with some fire in his belly leading the country than a old Etonian chinless wonder.
.,

Even though he's brought this country almost to its knees with a mixture of financial incompetence akin to that of the Labour government of Wilson and Callaghan, and rides totally roughshod over all public opinion regarding little matters like democracy, the EU, immigration, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the surveillance state...... to mention but a few?

[JacquesMagique]

It all looks very suspish to me. As if you would say, if calling one of those helplines, "oh yeah I work for the Prime Minister". No way.

[Expounder]

Even though he's brought this country almost to its knees with a mixture of financial incompetence akin to that of the Labour government of Wilson and Callaghan, and rides totally roughshod over all public opinion regarding little matters like democracy, the EU, immigration, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the surveillance state...... to mention but a few?

As I have said in another post biographers all past leaders including Churchill have exposed their treatment of aides and staff. All of your gripes apply to almost every country on Europe. You still want to win by personal attack and default don't bet on it.

[Major Sinic]

As I have said in another post biographers all past leaders including Churchill have exposed their treatment of aides and staff. All of your gripes apply to almost every country on Europe. You still want to win by personal attack and default don't bet on it.

Is there any area of incompetence, arrogance, dishonesty, corruption, hubris, obfuscation and now physical bullying that this abject failure of a government and even more abject failure, if such were possible, of a prime minister display, that you in spite of your blinkered bigotry might feel unable to support? Your rose tinted spectacles have turned a deep burgundy.

[Barry]

Very droll but I don't think many people will give a toss, better someone with some fire in his belly leading the country than a old Etonian chinless wonder.
.,

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the joke - was it so obvious?

As I have said in another post biographers all past leaders including Churchill have exposed their treatment of aides and staff. All of your gripes apply to almost every country on Europe. You still want to win by personal attack and default don't bet on it.

Well, old Etonian chinless wonder wouldn't be one of those personal attacks, would it, Expounder?

Mandelson was pathetic with his denials on Andrew Marr's show. Does Lord Meddlesome think he can pull the wool over everyone's eyes?

[DTE]

This story is pathetic. Bullying is what kids do at school and yes, it occasionally happens in the workplace but its targeted abuse towards a particular person or people, from what I've read this stuff from Brown does not constitute bullying. Its just a Labour vs. Conservative slanging match attacking Brown for being grumpy one week after the country saw him being sensitive on Piers Morgan's show.

To borrow a term from Barry its all just balderdash surely

[uncon]

Is acceptable for big people to bully small people?
It has been stated that civil servants don't complain because if you want to keep your job, it is probably best not to make a complaint about the most powerful man in England...unless it involves sex, in which case it becomes incredibly lucrative.

What interested me was, bearing in mind these statements are scrutinised severely....Gussys statement had the caveat "in relation to number 10".

The reason it interested me was whether it referred to a period of prime minister which is synonymous with number 10, or whether it includes his period at number 10 which we know he spent as chancellor? The statement is disingenuous.

[Expounder]

Is there any area of incompetence, arrogance, dishonesty, corruption, hubris, obfuscation and now physical bullying that this abject failure of a government and even more abject failure, if such were possible, of a prime minister display, that you in spite of your blinkered bigotry might feel unable to support? Your rose tinted spectacles have turned a deep burgundy.

Get off your Tory high horse major, the polls are not looking so good now so enter the real Tory dirty tricks dept. Andrew Rawnsley's no names no pack drill tombe, based on tittle tattle hearsay from No.10 which he hopes will make him a lot of money by jumping on the "malign Brown" band wagon, has been seized on by the Tories to put the boot in. They have no policies worth mentioning so it's back to character assassination.Sadly for you and "bully" for Labour your petty little plan has again like the rest badly backfired.

Publicity seeking Christine Pratt, whose office National Bullying Helpline which is conveniently sited next door to Swindon's Tory H.Q. decided to put in her two pennyworth and was herself accused of bullying by the Japanese firm Sanden. Employees testified she was "aggressive and confrontational" in one case thrust her face close to a colleague and screamed into his ear leaving the man shocked and in pain.

This is just another attempt by the Tories to smear Gordon Brown by calling for an enquiry, also backed by the Lib Dem leader in a shifty eyed interview on TV. Rawnsley in his book has no witness evidence other than hearsay and I'm surprised the Sunday Observer used it as its main feature to launch it's new format. It's also now mired in the character assassination mess.

National Bullying Helpline is now discredited after resignations of Patrons: Professor Cary Cooper, TV host Sarah Cawood Ann Widdecombe and councillor Mary O'Connor. Singer DJ MZ Bratt was also listed as a patron but insisted she never agreed to become one in the first place. The Helpline is a privately run organisation. "One businessman told last night how he called the charity for help in 2007 and was asked by Mrs Pratt for a £300 deposit before she passed him on to an "associate" He was then hit by a £3,500 bill" Mrs Pratt has acknowledged the organisation offered to refer callers to her Husbands consultancy business which was legal and approved.

Cameron's cheap botched character assassination attempt on Brown is a transparent as the rest he's tried to pull off he's looking more like a 1940s fast talking spiv every time he opens his mouth.
National Bullying Helpline chief executive Christine Pratt 'screamed and intimidated workers' - mirror.co.uk

Gordon Brown hits back as bullying smear campaign collapses - mirror.co.uk

[Barry]

Isn't it odd how people who tell the truth are attacked so vehemently?
It is symptomatic of Britain today.
The victim is victimised and the villain is excused.

[Expounder]

Isn't it odd how people who tell the truth are attacked so vehemently?
It is symptomatic of Britain today.
The victim is victimised and the villain is excused.

Forgive me Barry, but you have a warped interpretation of the facts' and offer a very lame dismissive comment on the subject. A bit like a deflated balloon.

[Major Sinic]

Get off your Tory high horse major, the polls are not looking so good now so enter the real Tory dirty tricks dept. Andrew Rawnsley's no names no pack drill tombe, based on tittle tattle hearsay from No.10 which he hopes will make him a lot of money by jumping on the "malign Brown" band wagon, has been seized on by the Tories to put the boot in. They have no policies worth mentioning so it's back to character assassination.Sadly for you and "bully" for Labour your petty little plan has again like the rest badly backfired.

Publicity seeking Christine Pratt, whose office National Bullying Helpline which is conveniently sited next door to Swindon's Tory H.Q. decided to put in her two pennyworth and was herself accused of bullying by the Japanese firm Sanden. Employees testified she was "aggressive and confrontational" in one case thrust her face close to a colleague and screamed into his ear leaving the man shocked and in pain.

This is just another attempt by the Tories to smear Gordon Brown by calling for an enquiry, also backed by the Lib Dem leader in a shifty eyed interview on TV. Rawnsley in his book has no witness evidence other than hearsay and I'm surprised the Sunday Observer used it as its main feature to launch it's new format. It's also now mired in the character assassination mess.

National Bullying Helpline is now discredited after resignations of Patrons: Professor Cary Cooper, TV host Sarah Cawood Ann Widdecombe and councillor Mary O'Connor. Singer DJ MZ Bratt was also listed as a patron but insisted she never agreed to become one in the first place. The Helpline is a privately run organisation. "One businessman told last night how he called the charity for help in 2007 and was asked by Mrs Pratt for a £300 deposit before she passed him on to an "associate" He was then hit by a £3,500 bill" Mrs Pratt has acknowledged the organisation offered to refer callers to her Husbands consultancy business which was legal and approved.

Cameron's cheap botched character assassination attempt on Brown is a transparent as the rest he's tried to pull off he's looking more like a 1940s fast talking spiv every time he opens his mouth.
National Bullying Helpline chief executive Christine Pratt 'screamed and intimidated workers' - mirror.co.uk

Gordon Brown hits back as bullying smear campaign collapses - mirror.co.uk

So to summarise, there are no levels to which this dead end prime minister and his dead end government can sink, which you would not support.

[Barry]

Forgive me Barry, but you have a warped interpretation of the facts' and offer a very lame dismissive comment on the subject. A bit like a deflated balloon.

How disappointing.

As you say though, better a man with fire in his belly, even if he ignores employment laws.

[Expounder]

So to summarise, there are no levels to which this dead end prime minister and his dead end government can sink, which you would not support.

I was going to ask you the same question.Are there no levels of character assassination which honest Dave Cameron will sink to in an attempt to hide the conservatives real policy agenda? Going for Browns jugular doesn't seem to be paying off at the moment. Maybe the electorate see him as a victim of bullying after all of the other attempts to smear and demean him.

[uncon]

Thing is expounder, you are a labour man, This is something that should be admired just as I admire cynic for his staunch support of the Conservatives.

There is a problem though. People do still want to vote labour. They do believe in the core beliefs of Labour, but they can't.

They can't because of one man who behaves in a dictatorial manner that goes against every principle of the labour party. Get rid of Brown and see what happen to the polls when there is a fresh face and a united party. It can't be a tory plot because the risk is losing their biggest asset - the labour leader!

Oh and could you help me with the fact that any threads made on the subject of bullying on the internal message board at number 10 have been disallowed? In fairness Mandleson did mention 'zero tolerance on bullying' I suppose we just got the wrong idea as to the direction it took

[uncon]

Alistair Darling: Gordon Brown 'unleashed forces of hell on me' - Telegraph

and the thing is...totally believable

The man was ignored, overidden and they tried to sack him because he didn't agree with Brown

[Expounder]

Uncon[/LEFT];99905]Thing is expounder, you are a labour man, This is something that should be admired just as I admire cynic for his staunch support of the Conservatives.

There is a problem though. People do still want to vote labour. They do believe in the core beliefs of Labour, but they can't.

They can't because of one man who behaves in a dictatorial manner that goes against every principle of the labour party. Get rid of Brown and see what happen to the polls when there is a fresh face and a united party. It can't be a toryplot because the risk is losing their biggest asset - the labour leader!

Oh and could you help me with the fact that any threads made on the subject of bullying on the internal message board at number 10 have been disallowed? In fairness Mandlesondid mention 'zero tolerance on bullying' I suppose we just got the wrong idea as to the direction it took

All prime ministers in the past have been accused of the same thing, particularly Margaret Thatcher who hand bagged her cabinet into silence. It's a theme of criticism which is par for the course of someone who is in charge of the country.

There was a discussion on News Night a couple of nights ago where David Steel ex Lib Dem leader when in discussion defended Gordon Brown's integrity to the hilt. Steel, an old style politician who had every opportunity attack him personally as a political opponent spoke up for him and in so many words said he was the victim. In my opinion David Steel has more claim to integrity than any other Lib Dem leader that followed him.

He also criticized PMs question time to paraphrase: just a name calling session which serves no useful purpose other than a point scoring shouting match. You have consciously or unconsciously soaked up of the disgraceful personal attacks on Brown by the Tory media in their eagerness to destroy him mentally and politically.

If there are any bullies to be found look no further than the Tory party. Their first line of defence has always been personal attacks on their political opponents which is the hall mark of the play ground bully. The Tories would have liked nothing better than a change of leader before the election but were disappointed. It says a lot for Brown that when in the deepest moments of adversity and despair he held his nerve and came out fighting which proves him much more of a man than fair weather Cameron could ever be when dealing with the almost insurmountable problems facing Britain.

[Major Sinic]

All prime ministers in the past have been accused of the same thing, particularly Margaret Thatcher who hand bagged her cabinet into silence. It's a theme of criticism which is par for the course of someone who is in charge of the country.

There was a discussion on News Night a couple of nights ago where David Steel ex Lib Dem leader when in discussion defended Gordon Brown's integrity to the hilt. Steel, an old style politician who had every opportunity attack him personally as a political opponent spoke up for him and in so many words said he was the victim. In my opinion David Steel has more claim to integrity than any other Lib Dem leader that followed him.

He also criticized PMs question time to paraphrase: just a name calling session which serves no useful purpose other than a point scoring shouting match. You have consciously or unconsciously soaked up of the disgraceful personal attacks on Brown by the Tory media in their eagerness to destroy him mentally and politically.

If there are any bullies to be found look no further than the Tory party. Their first line of defence has always been personal attacks on their political opponents which is the hall mark of the play ground bully. The Tories would have liked nothing better than a change of leader before the election but were disappointed. It says a lot for Brown that when in the deepest moments of adversity and despair he held his nerve and came out fighting which proves him much more of a man than fair weather Cameron could ever be when dealing with the almost insurmountable problems facing Britain.

Your normal entirely predictable and wholly unsubstantiated smears against the Conservatives.

Either Brown is a bully or Darling is a liar! There is no other credible explanation for what has been said today.

[Expounder]

Your normal entirely predictable and wholly unsubstantiated smears against the Conservatives.

Either Brown is a bully or Darling is a liar! There is no other credible explanation for what has been said today.

So the country stands or falls not on policies, but the personality of one person? This is primed distraction for the complete absence Tory policies that's why they want to keep it on the boil aided and abetted a wanna be king making media. Nothing like making people keep their eyes off the ball.

[Major Sinic]

So the country stands or falls not on policies, but the personality of one person? This is primed distraction for the complete absence Tory policies that's why they want to keep it on the boil aided and abetted a wanna be king making media. Nothing like making people keep their eyes off the ball.

It is pretty central to the ethos of a government and ruling party that either the Prime Minister is a bully or the Chancellor of the Exchequer is a liar.

You can't have it both ways. If the Tories have a complete absence of policies how can you regularly accuse them of wishing to wreck the NHS and give tax breaks to the rich?

[Expounder]

It is pretty central to the ethos of a government and ruling party that either the Prime Minister is a bully or the Chancellor of the Exchequer is a liar.

You can't have it both ways. If the Tories have a complete absence of policies how can you regularly accuse them of wishing to wreck the NHS and give tax breaks to the rich?

I stand corrected, He has hidden agenda and undeclared policies harmful to the majority of the nation and advantageous to his banking and city friends. Camouflaged by his "care in the community and hug a hoodie" drivel.

[Major Sinic]

I stand corrected, He has hidden agenda and undeclared policies harmful to the majority of the nation and advantageous to his banking and city friends. Camouflaged by his "care in the community and hug a hoodie" drivel.

And off we go round the roundabout again - unsubstantiated rumour mongering and groundless smears in line with those Labour Party briefing notes you follow so assiduously.

[Expounder]

And off we go round the roundabout again - unsubstantiated rumour mongering and groundless smears in line with those Labour Party briefing notes you follow so assiduously.

You are wrong Major, I'm no longer active in the party or have any connection with other members, everything I write comes from experience and the heart. Any one with sense knows that while they promise the unwashed the earth the Tories are the party of the tax dodging rich. While some of the gullible unwashed vote for them in hope, the main benefactors are the rich and the powerful. After all what do you expect they are a part of the rich and powerful in this world.

This is not a smear it's a fact.............................................. ....... http://www.politic.co.uk/images/icons/icon12.gif

[uncon]

All prime ministers in the past have been accused of the same thing, particularly Margaret Thatcher who hand bagged her cabinet into silence. It's a theme of criticism which is par for the course of someone who is in charge of the country.

There was a discussion on News Night a couple of nights ago where David Steel ex Lib Dem leader when in discussion defended Gordon Brown's integrity to the hilt. Steel, an old style politician who had every opportunity attack him personally as a political opponent spoke up for him and in so many words said he was the victim. In my opinion David Steel has more claim to integrity than any other Lib Dem leader that followed him.

He also criticized PMs question time to paraphrase: just a name calling session which serves no useful purpose other than a point scoring shouting match. You have consciously or unconsciously soaked up of the disgraceful personal attacks on Brown by the Tory media in their eagerness to destroy him mentally and politically.

If there are any bullies to be found look no further than the Tory party. Their first line of defence has always been personal attacks on their political opponents which is the hall mark of the play ground bully. The Tories would have liked nothing better than a change of leader before the election but were disappointed. It says a lot for Brown that when in the deepest moments of adversity and despair he held his nerve and came out fighting which proves him much more of a man than fair weather Cameron could ever be when dealing with the almost insurmountable problems facing Britain.

Margaret Thatcher was known for her courtesy towards the staff despite her behaviour towards her ministers. This is not the case here.

However, what I would be interested in is your opinion as to Darling. The way that I look at it, he is out of a job in the Treasury regardless of the election result and so has nothing to lose. What he has to protect is his own reputation within the ranks of the chancellors and so I think he will be making some very interesting decisions in the next few weeks