Taking their phones off them

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

It’s easy to see your child bent over her phone, thumbs tapping away, and think that she is missing out on “real” communication—the kind you get in person. But all that virtual communication has a positive and developmentally important role.

Good informative posts POGS
Cabinet meetings are not just some office somewhere Grandad1943 so security is of utmost importance.
Leaks from any minister could have occurred at any time
Afterwards, when phones were handed back, so highly doubtful that was the reason.It seems that highly confidential Cabinet meetings always take this precaution, and it seems sensible.

Wondering if anyone saw Oldwoman’s post. I think, like her, it is highly likely that is a security issue. Phones can be hacked by those who would like to make mischief.

Oh come on POGS, all industries are concerned in regards to trojans etc affecting mobile devices and causing security leaks around product development etc. However, those industries deal with it and do not ask senior management to "hand in" their devices on arrival at meetings

The sole reason why these Cabinet members were told to hand in their devices was to stop those members tweeting and messaging others outside the meeting and thus stabbing each other in the back.

Simple as that.

Grandad

We will beg to differ:-

" The security services are worried that states including China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan have developed the ability to infect gadgets with a Trojan virus, allowing them to take control of the devices and use them to monitor conversations, EVEN WHEN SWITCHED OFF .

During last week’s Cabinet meeting, iPads used by Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister during a presentation, were swiftly cleared out of the room even before discussions could begin, and ministers were told not to touch them beforehand.

In response to the threat, those working in sensitive Government departments have been handed lead-lined soundproof boxes, into which they have been told to put phones and tablets when discussing delicate matters, the Telegraph reported.

Security officials are also concerned by reports that souvenir USB sticks handed to delegates at the G20 summit in St Petersburg may have contained a virus. It is feared the drives may enable Russia’s intelligence agency to hack UK Government computers.

The vast majority of those who enter Number 10 are told to hand in their smartphones to security staff, and only get them back when they leave."
-

To be honest I think it's a perfectly rational, sensible idea .

I understand the voices who describe the cabinet as ' back stabbers ' but if that is the criteria then I suggest that ' leaks' from other political parties that have occurred and been reported about should look at doing the same. They are not the government at the moment though are they and possibly the security services would advise them to the same if in power.

POGS, in many organisations mobile phones are" banned" meaning that the owners are told to turn them off on entering a meeting etc. in almost every case people are trusted to turn those devices off but they remain with them for the duration of the prohibited period.

However, in the case of the Cabinet meeting at Chequers yesterday, government ministers attending that meeting were told to "hand in" their mobile devices which would indicate strongly that they were not trusted to not make use of those phones while the meeting was in progress.

These are senior government ministers who cannot be trusted by their own Prime Minister to not undermine her or other persons at that meeting.

Without a doubt, the above demonstrates just what a shambles this government is, being full of backstabbers and many with their own agenda regardless of the country they are supposed to be serving.

PS

If you want to stop ' leaks ' taking away phones /i-pads can only work for the duration of the meeting , as many politicians and others have found out to their cost from ALL parties.

Sadly unscrupulous/sh*t stirring behaviour is what it is and if you think it's one party that has the problem then carry on thinking that way.

Once again, Grandad, you have missed the point.
Your opinions about sewage workers are irrelevant to this discussion.

Maryeliza

I am ' making a point ' and as for ' rolling your eyes' I used a link to show how bad it gets and it happened to be Labour .

I agree they ALL do it and to my mind it is ignorant and Parliament should revisit the use of them whilst sitting.

Due to potential security risks David Cameron also banned i- pads from cabinet meetings in 2013.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ipads-and-smartphones-banned-from-cabinet-meetings-over-spying-fears-8919719.html

" Smartphones and iPads have been banned from meetings of the Cabinet over fears foreign intelligence services can turn them into bugs without ministers’ knowledge. "
-
Theresa May is reported to have banned Apple watches in 2016 due to possible security risks .

Whilst these bits of information are of no consequence to you and probably a few other posters on the thread it may be of interest to others.

As for the reason why the phones and Apple watches were ' handed in ' will depend on the political stance of the media outlet and if they know this is not a particularly a new story. Others of course may well know this happens but wish to put their own slant on things hoping it resonates with their viewer/listener/reader. That's politics for you.

You seem to have missed the point POGS .This cabinet exhibits division, in fighting, bitterness, backstabbing on a grand scale. Previous bans on mobile phones were to stop interruptions or distractions - this was to stop leaks. SPADs were also banned for the same reasons. At the end of the meeting it was a further half hour or so before they got them back. As for Labour MPs using their phones in Parliament - of course it’s wrong butMPs of all parties do it. <rolls eyes>

Why is this a strange act that has caused such anymosity?

It's nothing new !

The way this story , or non story dependent on how you rate it in the scheme of things, has been picked up on by Joe Soap who wishes to make something out of nothing to politically point score is a tad pathetic.

David Cameron banned mobile phones during his time as PM and for what it's worth Parliament should never have allowed their use whilst sitting as it is ignorant and makes them look totally disinterested in being there to listen and debate.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8679648.stm

Cameron's coalition: Mobile phones banned from cabinet

' Members of David Cameron's new cabinet have been banned from having their mobile phones and Blackberrys with them during meetings. '
-
www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/25/what-were-labour-mps-doing-on-their-mobile-phones-in-parliament

' When Labour’s John McDonnell stood up to respond to the autumn statement on Wednesday, half his party’s MPs started noodling on their phones behind him. Was it the height of rudeness – or all part of a modern-day MP’s duties?'

(See photo)

Talking of David Cameron I still like his comment " Too many tweets can make a tw*t ". Very true and a lot have found that out for themselves.

Oh maryeliza ?

Well, I'd rather have Grandad talking about his work and issues connected to it than a load of people being spiteful. At least he is generally of a very pleasant disposition.

higgly you might think that posters are implying - what I see is you inferring- and what you infer says to me that your posts show a bit of an inferiority complex. Plenty of posters who are retired draw on their work experience when discussing issues on here - what’s the difference between that and dating on current work experience?

lemon why do you find it necessary to be so rude - you do realise that your snippy comments say far more about you than they do about the person you are being so pathetic about? And why is it only left of centre posters you vent your childish spleen on?

I watched a family of 4 at a restaurant at lunch recently and I certainly thought that someone should come along and take their phones off them!

Well, if someone is stating the truth in regards to the state of the Tory party and this government, no doubt you would see it as unnecessary Lemon.

It's also boring lemongrove to personalise a discussion, but that doesn't seem to stop you.

It’s not ‘common courtesy’ to tell a forum where and when you will be next posting, it’s totally unnecessary.

It’s simply boring Grandad43 to constantly tell all and sundry your every move.
But carry on regardless ( am sure you will.)

Many thanks to forum members who have come out in support of me in regard to the personal attacks that have transpired in this thread. In that, I am sure that many will realise that a forum member only has to state the truth at present in regard to the total shambles the Conservative party is in, and the Tories on the forum will make personal attacks on the poster as they have no other answers to put forward.

In regard to refiring to the office, I only speak of working if I have posted on a thread several times and then I will state if I am in the office working for the rest of that day or I am actually working and will not be able to respond further for a considerable period of time. That I would call common courtesy to others on the forum, but obviously there are those that do not recognise "common courtesy" when they see it.

In regard to me trying to be superior to others, well, today I have been at the largest sewage treatment plant in the West Country in the course of my work duties looking at changes that have been made to the methane plant over a number of months. I certainly would not think that many people would view that as superior work or myself portraying that as being above anything.

To me the close-knit team who operate and work that site 24 hours a day 365 days of the year in often dangerous conditions are the people who are superior to all others in their service to all of us.

However, thinking about that, it must be that some who post on this forum must have at some time worked there, considering the "stink" they always try to kick up over nothing but trivialities

What do you suggest he does? Keep quiet? Not post about things he does or knows about? It is just another perspective on the question being discussed and if you don't like it that's tough, but the fact that it is about work and an office environment doesn't make it any more or less valid than any other opinion. But some of you are much more concerned with who posts things than on the actual words, and with sniping at particular posters. It is silly and a bit pathetic.

nigglynellie but let us not disparage Busy and Important People.

I think somebody who has to keep telling others about their work arrangements which clearly, in not so many words, gives them superior understanding of all things political when chatting to elderly grannies is the inadequate one!!