The weak Prime Minister

It's tempting to label Prime Ministers as strong or weak but looking back at PMs since 1945 suggests even the most able are often rendered helpless by circumstances - Macmillan (Profumo affair), Heath (industrial unrest), Wilson (a divided Party), Callaghan (economic woes), Major (a divided Party, 'sleeze') - in which they are pushed off a strategic course into day to day problems which consume time and energy. Of course personality plays a part - Eden (short fuse, medical problems), Churchill (old age), Wilson (incipient dementia in his 2nd period) and some found television interviews unrewarding (Wilson walked out of one, Douglas-Home came over badly in his half-eyes despite his intelligence). Conversely, Thatcher and Blair were seen as strong but were helped by very large majorities in the Commons to ride out problems (far larger than the much-trumpeted 80 of BoJo).

So looking back at Raabs career as minister there is nothing that he can point to with pride. Most were a series of relatively low lights, particularly his behaviour over Ukraine. Not someone who will be remembered with admiration.

Raab has resigned.

Oops, should have read previous page, sorry.

Rabb would have been told resign or you’ll be sacked, he accepts he was wrong

Don’t think Raab accepts that he was wrong just the bar for bullying was set very low! Only found to have been a bully in two cases. Bbc thinks it’s going to get very messy.

Whitewavemark2

It is being suggested by Caroline Lucas that Sunak is in fact very right wing, he simply tries to hide it.

It would be surprising ifhe wasn't..

ronib

Daisy Anne I am not worried. Just wondering why you have such entrenched bias?

Thank you for your reply ronib.

What you see as entrenched is simply a different perspective. Should I be calling your alternative perspective "entrenched"?

I will not be replying to any more posts from you on this subject; there is no point in doing so.

Katie59

Rabb would have been told resign or you’ll be sacked, he accepts he was wrong

You cannot know that Katie59. Sometimes people can see the writing on the wall for themselves.

Katie59

Rabb would have been told resign or you’ll be sacked, he accepts he was wrong

Having read his resignation letter, I don't think Raab does accept he was in the wrong.

So, Sunak failed to have the testicular fortitude to sack Raab as he should have done yesterday.

A weak prime minister.

He has apologised for being 'found' to behaved badly.

He thinks the KC's report is flawed.

His view of his behaviour is that it is acceptable.

He did not believe Civil Servants should disagree with him.

He says he didn't throw anything nor intimidate anyone. (The word deliberately is in there).

I'm not at all sure if this gets Sunak off the hook or not. I think the outcome does make him look a little weak because it has gone on for so long, and Raab's letter is an attack on the PM's actions.

The most extreme in his party will, I think, be cross, although they have less power at the moment. It will probably be played down by right's client media, so those who are less interested will go with the "oh, not again" way of thinking. It is all adding up, though.

I wonder when the full report will be published.

Time to reform the Civil Service and diplomatic service? Or at the very least have more clarity about their responsibilities and functions from my reading of Raab’s resignation letter? Who are the cheeky monkeys in the room? Interesting to see how this might develop and what Sunak chooses to do with the report.

Whitewavemark2

So, Sunak failed to have the testicular fortitude to sack Raab as he should have done yesterday.

A weak prime minister.

I think he wanted to use the report to lever Raab out without having to sack him. After all, he was virtually forced to have him (by circumstance) in the 1st place.
And no, Raab is not sorry OR accepting in my opinion

ronib

Time to reform the Civil Service and diplomatic service? Or at the very least have more clarity about their responsibilities and functions from my reading of Raab’s resignation letter? Who are the cheeky monkeys in the room? Interesting to see how this might develop and what Sunak chooses to do with the report.

No- what you have is a minister who was promoted far above his ability, because he is very good at brown nosing, was working with civil servants who are far cleverer than him and just as people we so often see in our working life uses bullying to cover their inadequacies.

WW3 so these very clever civil servants probably didn’t follow through on the government’s policies? Democracy in action?

ronib

WW3 so these very clever civil servants probably didn’t follow through on the government’s policies? Democracy in action?

What proof do you have that the civil servants weren't following through on the government's policies, ronib?

Whitewavemark2

ronib

Time to reform the Civil Service and diplomatic service? Or at the very least have more clarity about their responsibilities and functions from my reading of Raab’s resignation letter? Who are the cheeky monkeys in the room? Interesting to see how this might develop and what Sunak chooses to do with the report.

No- what you have is a minister who was promoted far above his ability, because he is very good at brown nosing, was working with civil servants who are far cleverer than him and just as people we so often see in our working life uses bullying to cover their inadequacies.

I think they have to look at the structure of employment in all government areas. There should be resort to the normal HR skills. A bit of updating would not go amiss.

DaisyAnne

Whitewavemark2

ronib

Time to reform the Civil Service and diplomatic service? Or at the very least have more clarity about their responsibilities and functions from my reading of Raab’s resignation letter? Who are the cheeky monkeys in the room? Interesting to see how this might develop and what Sunak chooses to do with the report.

No- what you have is a minister who was promoted far above his ability, because he is very good at brown nosing, was working with civil servants who are far cleverer than him and just as people we so often see in our working life uses bullying to cover their inadequacies.

I think they have to look at the structure of employment in all government areas. There should be resort to the normal HR skills. A bit of updating would not go amiss.

Not sure what you mean

MaizieD what proof do you have that senior civil servants do follow?
On reading the resignation letter, it seems there was a problem with a key diplomat in Ukraine but we are unlikely to be given the details.
If eight cases of bullying were alleged and only two were agreed, then were six cases fabricated? Let’s remember how very clever the senior civil service is.
No harm in taking a closer look at the working of government?

Typo Gibraltar not Ukraine

Trolley praised civil servants for their integrity.

Raab has criticised leaks to the media and skewed reports given by civil servants in breach of the civil service code and a senior official sacking private secretaries. This could go on a bit ….

This will answer your criticism ronib

From Tolley report

The Civil Service Code (unlike the Ministerial Code) has a statutory basis3 and is incorporated into the contract of employment of every civil servant. Its core values are: integrity (putting the obligations of public service above personal interest); honesty (being truthful and open); objectivity (basing advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence); and impartiality (acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well governments of different political persuasions).
34. The Civil Service Code contains more detail in relation to each of these core values. One relevant, or potentially relevant, aspect of this detail relates to the core value of ‘objectivity’. The Civil Service Code states that civil servants must not ignore inconvenient facts or relevant considerations when providing advice or making decisions and must not frustrate the implementation of policies once decisions are taken by declining to take, or abstaining from, action which flows from those decisions.
35. While it forms part of the contract between a civil servant and her or his employer, the Civil Service Code may also be read as an exhortation to high standards of behaviour. It concludes:
This Code is part of the contractual relationship between you and your employer. It sets out the high standards of behaviour expected of you which follow from your position in public and national life as a civil servant. You can take pride in living up to these values.

Link to report if it works

t.co/64qTxyeC0l