Braverman attempts a cover up.

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.

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.

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

I hope your husband wasn't a public servant.

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.

Quite right Casdon. there's a difference.

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

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.

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.

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.

Of course - what a micro managed life.

And the security people I would think.

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

Germanshepherdsmum

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

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

Neither would I but my husband certainly did.

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.

MaizieD also there’s a need to note dental, doctor and hospital appointments
in the diary. It helps to know where a minister is in the working day. There might be an emergency etc

Secretaries often do that sort of thing.

Would it have been OK if she'd asked one of her civil servants to arrange to send her mother some flowers for her birthday?

GrannyGravy13

NotSpaghetti

MaizieD

The course is a privilege and not offered to everyone apparently. I can't remember who gets offered it. It's a way of getting out of fines and points.

The course is offered if you haven''t done one before and have a clean licence (it's possible to have had points before which have expired). It doesn't get you off the fine, it's just a cheaper fine if you do the course. It only lets you off the points.

This may be the reason some are offered and some aren't.

I dont know why you think I'm completely wrong Primrose.
Whether you are offered a course or not is up to the police/prosecution people. I'm pretty sure it's not a right.

You can take a speed awareness course every 3.5 years, if you get a speeding fine before the end of the 3.5 years you will receive the appropriate points on your license.

You can also take a separate course for motorway offences.

NanaDana

I'm wondering how long Sunak will allow this loose cannon to continue to trundle around the Conservative deck until he decides it might be safer to throw it overboard... particularly as he's beginning to realise that it's pointing in his direction. Just getting the feeling that the "distancing" may already have started. Watch this space.

If he has any sense at all, the answer is "not long". He made a pledge and this is reflecting badly on him.

Growstuff what? A secretary will manage appointments in the diary….

Oreo

I see nothing wrong with her asking if it was possible.

It was against the ministerial code. It was about her personal life. How difficult is that to understand?

Germanshepherdsmum

Do we have any idea what level of cs was involved? Could have been one of her secretaries.

Her "secretaries" aren't supposed to do personal work.

ronib

GSM no of course not- we’re given a bunch of distorted information.
I am probably the only person here who is very worried by the politicisation of the Civil Serpents.

What's that got to do with this?

Why don't you start a thread, if that's what's bothering you?

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?

Yes, they do. Their expenses are supposed to cover personal staff, although even they are supposed to do parliamentary work rather than acting as an aide for personal matters.