Braverman attempts a cover up.

Well, I would not ask my secretary to do any of that private stuff, I never did, because it’s abusing your position. And who would ask their secretary for ‘advice’ about attending a private speed awareness course, which is what she claimed she wanted? I think we can assume this is a blind alley.
We will soon know what Sunak decides regarding the need for an inquiry.

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

As did mine, and our office secretary is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

Presumably someone needs to know every detail of a government minister’s itinerary in order to brief the chauffeur?

And the security people I would think.

Of course - what a micro managed life.

growstuff

I was caught about five metres before the end of a 30mph limit in a semi-rural area. I was just beginning to accelerate. The police officer with his camera was hiding behind a bush! I don't think the courses even existed in those days.

My DH did the same grow stuff. When he was younger he was always speeding or crossing lines or something and got quite near getting banned.
The last time was funny he had driven about 200 miles and was 6 miles from home and sped up at the end of the 30-mile limit. The police were parked in a used car forecourt and caught him.
His older friend when we were younger got stopped and breathalysed for going too slow. I used to Taxi the pair of them around.

But both of you were in your own businesses Germanshepherdsmum and GrannyGravy13, so you could ask your secretary to do whatever you wanted them to do. In the public sector that’s not the case, secretaries are not provided for people to use them for their private affairs. Nor do secretaries need to know about their manager’s private affairs, with electronic diaries you just blank out time you need for a private appointment so it can’t be booked for anything else, even a government minister is entitled to privacy about their private affairs.

GrannyGravy13

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

As did mine, and our office secretary is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

You didn't work in public service. Civil servants aren't ministers' private staff and are not paid for out of the public purse to run politicians' private lives.

JaneJudge I agree it shouldn’t be hard not to speed but I am always intrigued that most speed dials go 20, 40,60 etc when 30 is the limit in so many places, no excuse I know

Quite right Casdon. there's a difference.

growstuff

GrannyGravy13

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

As did mine, and our office secretary is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

You didn't work in public service. Civil servants aren't ministers' private staff and are not paid for out of the public purse to run politicians' private lives.

Perhaps in that case ministers should have a secretary who isn’t a civil servant to run their diaries, simples.

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

I hope your husband wasn't a public servant.

GrannyGravy13

growstuff

GrannyGravy13

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

As did mine, and our office secretary is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

You didn't work in public service. Civil servants aren't ministers' private staff and are not paid for out of the public purse to run politicians' private lives.

Perhaps in that case ministers should have a secretary who isn’t a civil servant to run their diaries, simples.

They do.

GrannyGravy13

growstuff

GrannyGravy13

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

As did mine, and our office secretary is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

You didn't work in public service. Civil servants aren't ministers' private staff and are not paid for out of the public purse to run politicians' private lives.

Perhaps in that case ministers should have a secretary who isn’t a civil servant to run their diaries, simples.

If they pay for that luxury themselves, that’s fine.

I'm not sure why people are fixated on the idea that Braverman's secretary was the person involved. I'm sure that a secretary wouldn't have referred the request to the Cabinet Office for advice on what to do about it.

But a query. Would a minister's secretary be a civil servant or a non cs appointment? Does anyone know?

MaizieD

I'm not sure why people are fixated on the idea that Braverman's secretary was the person involved. I'm sure that a secretary wouldn't have referred the request to the Cabinet Office for advice on what to do about it.

But a query. Would a minister's secretary be a civil servant or a non cs appointment? Does anyone know?

Yes, they are.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/grade-structures-civil-service

MaizieD

I'm not sure why people are fixated on the idea that Braverman's secretary was the person involved. I'm sure that a secretary wouldn't have referred the request to the Cabinet Office for advice on what to do about it.

But a query. Would a minister's secretary be a civil servant or a non cs appointment? Does anyone know?

A minister's private secretary is a civil servant. He or she is responsible for running the ministers' office BUT is not supposed to have any involvement in the minister's personal life. If they want to employ somebody to do that kind of work, they need to pay out of their own pocket, which some do.

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/ministers-private-offices

Ooops! Sorry Casdon cross post.

MaizieD

I'm not sure why people are fixated on the idea that Braverman's secretary was the person involved. I'm sure that a secretary wouldn't have referred the request to the Cabinet Office for advice on what to do about it.

But a query. Would a minister's secretary be a civil servant or a non cs appointment? Does anyone know?

My money would be on a Conservative MP who found out about it. Braverman is seen as a liability and they're watching their own backs.

MaizieD in the absence of any real evidence/information, why not fixate on the secretary? It makes as much sense/nonsense as anything else that’s been written.

GrannyGravy13

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

As did mine, and our office secretary is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly.

Office secretaries or PAs are NOT civil servants. Braverman will be absolutely aware when she crosses the line.

Ministers do not have secretaries - everything should be done through the civil service.

GrannyGravy13

Germanshepherdsmum

Just listened to an interview with ‘Mr Loophole’. He said he has arranged one to one speed awareness courses for high profile clients on the basis that their presence would distract others from what they are there to do.

Yes you are correct that so called high profile people can apply for a one to one speed awareness course.

I am slightly confused that civil servants are not supposed to do anything for their Ministers. Do all Ministers employ non civil servant PA’s to overcome this?

Civil servants do not carry out anything if a private nature for ministers.

People don’t seem to understand the civil service.

Yes it is relatively small in the scheme of things.

Yes there are some conservatives who fear for the parties popularity with Braverman as Home Secretary

Yes there are a very large number of people across the political spectrum who are deeply disturbed by the far right group existing outside the Conservative Party that Braverman espouses, who actually consider he a danger to our democracy, and her views on those seeking asylum and the language she uses Populist hate strirring

yes there are large number of people who following many recent events care deeply about integrity in public life

and I have no doubt that it's a combination of these that have led to the levels of publicity.

Like I said up thread, she could have handled it in such as way as to be to her advantage,

but I do believe a lot of people have come to perceive her as that very dangerous of species, a politician who believes that as long as you can get away with something, and you are "Above" the ordinary cut of the crowd, then its OK to do almost anything.

and it simply isnt.