Cummings to sort out the army

And a prime minister who hasn't a clue, so needs any help he can get.

But he's not just any ordinary Spad. He's now officially 'Assistant to the Prime Minister' with thauthority to make decisions without having to consult the PM.

It's amazing where chutzpah and total contempt for parliamentary democracy can get you...

Quite extraordinary. I don’t think a spad has ever had this level of control or access.

Whitewavemark2

Visiting Porton Down! What on earth does he think he can contribute? Perhaps he’ll decide how many scientists are needed for any particular project.

This is getting surreal.

My daughters best friend is one of the scientists there, if I hear anything I’ll let you all know.

He probably wants to know about nerve gases.

Whitewavemark2

I do think this is all very odd

Tobias Ellwood MP
@Tobias_Ellwood

If correct and DOMINIC CUMMINGS is formally involved in reviewing the UK’s defence and security architecture then he should be subject to the same parliamentary scrutiny as ministers, military personnel and the civil service.

Tobias Ellwood knows what he's talking about re defence.

MayBee70

I think we all need to write to our MP’s and ask for an explanation of why the man is doing this and what authority he has to do so.

In my case, it would be a waste of time.

I do think this is all very odd

Tobias Ellwood MP
@Tobias_Ellwood

If correct and DOMINIC CUMMINGS is formally involved in reviewing the UK’s defence and security architecture then he should be subject to the same parliamentary scrutiny as ministers, military personnel and the civil service.

I think we all need to write to our MP’s and ask for an explanation of why the man is doing this and what authority he has to do so.

Visiting Porton Down! What on earth does he think he can contribute? Perhaps he’ll decide how many scientists are needed for any particular project.

This is getting surreal.

My daughters best friend is one of the scientists there, if I hear anything I’ll let you all know.

I wonder if John Le Carré is up to writing another novel. He wouldn't have to think too hard about the plot.

Eloethan

The Talented Mr Cummings - which area of governance will next be blessed with this man's alleged brilliance?

Apparently he's been given security clearance to visit sites such as Porton Down and other highly sensitive sites.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/08/dominic-cummings-to-tour-sensitive-mod-sites-amid-defence-review

Other media have reported it, so it's not "just" the Guardian.

Presumably that's why Francois threatened that "he'll come down and sort you out and you won't like it".

MayBee70

growstuff: was Francois really in the catering corps? (she says chuckling away to herself)....

Allegedly (said in my HIGNFY voice).

The Talented Mr Cummings - which area of governance will next be blessed with this man's alleged brilliance?

growstuff: was Francois really in the catering corps? (she says chuckling away to herself)....

You should not be surprised growstuff.

Francois's boss Johnson has got where he is by making himself into a cartoon chartacter.

I'm sure you're right about General Carter patcafe. I just hope that Cummings doesn't get his way in making cuts. His idea is that war can be conducted by drones, so soldiers aren't needed.

I'm still amazed that anybody who can speak like Francois did and try to threaten Carter with a squirt like Cummings has any role of responsibility. It's almost as though he wants to make himself into a cartoon character.

The army has seen off every govt in my lifetime and will ignore cummings who will disappear in time. There was no threat but only because General Carter has seen too many 'wannabe' soldiers like Francois to be even slightly bothered.

Like Francois , Cummings skills, talent , and ability has no beginning.

I stand corrected, varian. Thanks

(I wasn't 'quite' sure if I'd got the right one..)

Riverwalk

^The General, who is a veteran of conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, did not seem shaken by the thought.^

Says all we need to know.

Maybe Francois and Cummings could be sent to Afghanistan as some kind of special envoy.

The General, who is a veteran of conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, did not seem shaken by the thought.

Says all we need to know.

Parkinson's law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". It is sometimes applied to the growth of bureaucracy in an organization.

The Peter Principle was first identified by Dr Laurence J. Peter, a sociologist, lecturer and business consultant, in his 1968 book of the same name. It states, "In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence."

Mark Francois seems to have risen well above any level of competence.

GrannyGravy13

GillT57

Mark Francois is a silly little man, trying to get in with the 'big boys' who are probably laughing at home. More worrying is the fact that 40,000 people in his constituency thought he was a good choice!

His constituency is next to mine, and apparently he is a good constituency MP.

I don't wish to speak ill of the good people of Rayleigh and Wickford, but ...

No comment! (At least, I did write a comment but thought I'd better delete it.)

These people are supposed to be our leaders, for goodness sake!

Maybe I'm turning into a grumpy old git, but I have this strange idea that political leaders should be professional and have a degree of competence.

It's Parkinson's Law. GG13, people rise to the level of their incompetence.

Perhaps he should just have stuck to what he is good at...

GillT57

Mark Francois is a silly little man, trying to get in with the 'big boys' who are probably laughing at home. More worrying is the fact that 40,000 people in his constituency thought he was a good choice!

His constituency is next to mine, and apparently he is a good constituency MP.