The previous government’s (I hesitate to credit them with that noun) appointments perfected seagull management: fly in, shit over everything, fly out. Grayling possibly best personified this, but I could also nominate Williamson, Jenkins, Badenoch, Patel and, of course, Truss. Who else?
I read the account of the Probation Service debacle and almost wept. I was a Probation Office for 21 years mainly in N. London, specialising in the management, risk assessment and supervision of high risk offenders. In a short space of time privatisation turned a difficult and sometimes gruelling job into a hellish mix of bizarre policies from above, managerial mayhem all around with fr stopont line staff overloaded, ground down, often traumatised and of course always blamed.
And all the while it seemed like an experience that no one would write about or talk about. I left just before my sanity was about to leave me. I have huge respect for all those that stayed behind and the newbies that will join; I wish them a Grayling free career. And when I say I almost wept I didn't shed a tear as I'm now retired, sipping a cold beer in Sicily - that helped. Having healed the damage done to me I'm now working as a counsellor helping to heal others . Thanks Ian.
Goditi in Sicilia! L’hai meritato. Anch’io ho passato poche vacanze in Sicilia per recuperare di lavoro in questa sistema pazza. Nonostante che Sicilia anche ha on po di politiche pazzesche……
Very glad indeed that you can find ways to express your fury about Grayling, I can't, it's so frustrating. Terrible terrible damage done. I cannot understand why he gets given these gigs. Surely you only have to look at him? Also, spot on about this strange post election time. Thanks.
I saw the title and thought fondly of the first chapter of HWWAWID, knowing that we'd get a dose of Dunt-ish fury on the probation issue (and wasn't disappointed, of course). I've had that chapter in mind throughout the news cycles on prisoner early release - particularly the BBC report where they questioned prisoners as they came out of prison; I'm wondering what type of probation support they're getting right now.
[Extra note: I see you're down on the Old Testament - again. Is the OT (or The Original Trilogy, as Jews like me think of it) so much worse than the NT (sequels, not canon to everyone) when it comes to disasters - Revelation, anyone? No? Just me then.]
It's become a pop culture phrase but isn't canon and non-canonical actually from the Bible in the first place? There's a whole bunch of books that didn't make the cut.
Absolutely. The parallel with modern cultural narratives in Jewish writings goes even further - as well as the NT being considered non-canon, the Talmud is effectively a fandom wiki of the Hebrew Bible, while Midrash (Rabbinic retellings or embellishments to biblical stories) can be described as fan fiction.
I have met many such Graylings. They are masters at spreading believable yet catastrophic gobs of bullshit that even the most astute business managers seem to scarf up, nay swallow whole. It’s a talent of Olympian endeavour. So when I see it in action my first thought is: it’s the management stupid (rearrange to a more meaningful epithet.)
Grayling is uncannily successful…at being promoted. Now he’s got the Lords robe to prove it. Johnson even wanted to make him Head of the Intelligence and Security Committee??!! But he didn’t get it.
I think it’s natural especially in Britain now when many are trying to survive for most people to not consider the welfare of criminals. I just don’t think it’s wise or what you should aim for in a democracy. I did think the Norway system sounded great because it keeps crime low and it’s humane but also because it shows its government actually seem to care and they clearly put more resources and thought into it. I doubt Grayling or the Conservatives care about the welfare of British citizens particularly when they’re being promoted for being um shit. I think we need politicians who aren’t in it for themselves. This is why I had a problem with Rishi Sunak being nice..after he lost. Now I hear he put Grayling in the Lords.
It all feels broken and mainstream media isn’t holding them to account. I still see failed ex-MPs being invited on to give us the benefit of more bullshit. At least Labour are in
Spot on with this observation: "Until the Budget in a few weeks, we don't really understand the direction of the government." Although with all the pearl clutching over the winter fuel allowance, the two child benefit limit and others you'd be pushed to believe it.
Excellent, fury-driven piece. It does beg the question, though: how the fuck do people like him, Gavin Williamson, Grant Shapps et al get to have such careers? How did they get in the frame in the first place? No expertise, no command of detail, no ability to get anything done. And, let’s face it, we, the British electorate, voted these twats into power.
I live in Grayling's old constituency, Epsom, always considered one of the safest Tory seats, but his valiant efforts ensured it has changed colour for the first time in something like 140 years!
Great. I work in mental health services which have the advantage of NHS profile, but like probation are not really understood by the public or well explained by journalists (the odd flare up of attention to an issue like Valdo Calocane is a messy mix of thoughtful journalism and ignorant idiocy). We spend a lot of time faced with the disastrous effects of previous governments on every area of the public sector- in order of importance to us, other NHS services (GPs, A and E), housing, childrens social care, benefits, police, courts, probation….bloody everything really. And the constant buck passing between us all as we get desperate. Yes we really need intelligent journalistic focus which the mainstream has given up on (apart from Polly Toynbee, and even she doesn’t really do in depth stuff any more).
Who is spending time with probation and reporting in depth? (Probably no one because who pays for that now?).
btw ‘luminal’? liminal? I think luminal means inside a tube like the gut, which you may also find a use for…..
Failing upwards is the perfect description of Chris Grayling. I'm at work right now and haven't as much time to put into my response as I'd like but I absolutely agree with every sentence of this and you can add absolutely buggering up the introduction of electric rail in Wales (we still do not have this) to this list for good measure! The fact that he is now a Lord says everything about why our parliamentary system is utterly fucked and why reform of the Lords, the only institution of merit is absolutely necessary.
I agree with all this and wonder what it was about Grayling that encouraged his masters to reward such an obvious C-leaguer repeatedly with precarious briefs. A mixture of loyalty, yes-man responsiveness, backroom networking and crowd tickling bromides about the virtues of markets and public spending cuts, I imagine. Either that or a dossier of juicy information on every senior colleague.
You might as well return to a hereditary HOL if the outcome of neoliberal meritocracy, as championed by Tory prime ministers, is people like Grayling wearing the ermine. It ironically resembles the political culture of Soviet communism, in which men without qualities rose to rule the fate of millions.
You are right about this sense of "when is shit going actually start to happen?" As you point out the recent micro-session of Parliament before conference season and the sphincter-tight budget has tantalised but not delivered. Cute election call timing by cunt Sunak, innit?
The previous government’s (I hesitate to credit them with that noun) appointments perfected seagull management: fly in, shit over everything, fly out. Grayling possibly best personified this, but I could also nominate Williamson, Jenkins, Badenoch, Patel and, of course, Truss. Who else?
The Grayling story was a damning indictment of the last government, and very well explained in your book.
I read the account of the Probation Service debacle and almost wept. I was a Probation Office for 21 years mainly in N. London, specialising in the management, risk assessment and supervision of high risk offenders. In a short space of time privatisation turned a difficult and sometimes gruelling job into a hellish mix of bizarre policies from above, managerial mayhem all around with fr stopont line staff overloaded, ground down, often traumatised and of course always blamed.
And all the while it seemed like an experience that no one would write about or talk about. I left just before my sanity was about to leave me. I have huge respect for all those that stayed behind and the newbies that will join; I wish them a Grayling free career. And when I say I almost wept I didn't shed a tear as I'm now retired, sipping a cold beer in Sicily - that helped. Having healed the damage done to me I'm now working as a counsellor helping to heal others . Thanks Ian.
Good on you Andrew
Goditi in Sicilia! L’hai meritato. Anch’io ho passato poche vacanze in Sicilia per recuperare di lavoro in questa sistema pazza. Nonostante che Sicilia anche ha on po di politiche pazzesche……
Very glad indeed that you can find ways to express your fury about Grayling, I can't, it's so frustrating. Terrible terrible damage done. I cannot understand why he gets given these gigs. Surely you only have to look at him? Also, spot on about this strange post election time. Thanks.
I saw the title and thought fondly of the first chapter of HWWAWID, knowing that we'd get a dose of Dunt-ish fury on the probation issue (and wasn't disappointed, of course). I've had that chapter in mind throughout the news cycles on prisoner early release - particularly the BBC report where they questioned prisoners as they came out of prison; I'm wondering what type of probation support they're getting right now.
[Extra note: I see you're down on the Old Testament - again. Is the OT (or The Original Trilogy, as Jews like me think of it) so much worse than the NT (sequels, not canon to everyone) when it comes to disasters - Revelation, anyone? No? Just me then.]
'Not canon' might be the funniest description of the New Testament I've ever heard.
It's become a pop culture phrase but isn't canon and non-canonical actually from the Bible in the first place? There's a whole bunch of books that didn't make the cut.
Absolutely. The parallel with modern cultural narratives in Jewish writings goes even further - as well as the NT being considered non-canon, the Talmud is effectively a fandom wiki of the Hebrew Bible, while Midrash (Rabbinic retellings or embellishments to biblical stories) can be described as fan fiction.
I have met many such Graylings. They are masters at spreading believable yet catastrophic gobs of bullshit that even the most astute business managers seem to scarf up, nay swallow whole. It’s a talent of Olympian endeavour. So when I see it in action my first thought is: it’s the management stupid (rearrange to a more meaningful epithet.)
Grayling is uncannily successful…at being promoted. Now he’s got the Lords robe to prove it. Johnson even wanted to make him Head of the Intelligence and Security Committee??!! But he didn’t get it.
I think it’s natural especially in Britain now when many are trying to survive for most people to not consider the welfare of criminals. I just don’t think it’s wise or what you should aim for in a democracy. I did think the Norway system sounded great because it keeps crime low and it’s humane but also because it shows its government actually seem to care and they clearly put more resources and thought into it. I doubt Grayling or the Conservatives care about the welfare of British citizens particularly when they’re being promoted for being um shit. I think we need politicians who aren’t in it for themselves. This is why I had a problem with Rishi Sunak being nice..after he lost. Now I hear he put Grayling in the Lords.
It all feels broken and mainstream media isn’t holding them to account. I still see failed ex-MPs being invited on to give us the benefit of more bullshit. At least Labour are in
Sorry but I’m fed up.
Spot on with this observation: "Until the Budget in a few weeks, we don't really understand the direction of the government." Although with all the pearl clutching over the winter fuel allowance, the two child benefit limit and others you'd be pushed to believe it.
Excellent, fury-driven piece. It does beg the question, though: how the fuck do people like him, Gavin Williamson, Grant Shapps et al get to have such careers? How did they get in the frame in the first place? No expertise, no command of detail, no ability to get anything done. And, let’s face it, we, the British electorate, voted these twats into power.
I live in Grayling's old constituency, Epsom, always considered one of the safest Tory seats, but his valiant efforts ensured it has changed colour for the first time in something like 140 years!
Fucking excellent outcome for humanity!
Great. I work in mental health services which have the advantage of NHS profile, but like probation are not really understood by the public or well explained by journalists (the odd flare up of attention to an issue like Valdo Calocane is a messy mix of thoughtful journalism and ignorant idiocy). We spend a lot of time faced with the disastrous effects of previous governments on every area of the public sector- in order of importance to us, other NHS services (GPs, A and E), housing, childrens social care, benefits, police, courts, probation….bloody everything really. And the constant buck passing between us all as we get desperate. Yes we really need intelligent journalistic focus which the mainstream has given up on (apart from Polly Toynbee, and even she doesn’t really do in depth stuff any more).
Who is spending time with probation and reporting in depth? (Probably no one because who pays for that now?).
btw ‘luminal’? liminal? I think luminal means inside a tube like the gut, which you may also find a use for…..
Failing upwards is the perfect description of Chris Grayling. I'm at work right now and haven't as much time to put into my response as I'd like but I absolutely agree with every sentence of this and you can add absolutely buggering up the introduction of electric rail in Wales (we still do not have this) to this list for good measure! The fact that he is now a Lord says everything about why our parliamentary system is utterly fucked and why reform of the Lords, the only institution of merit is absolutely necessary.
I agree with all this and wonder what it was about Grayling that encouraged his masters to reward such an obvious C-leaguer repeatedly with precarious briefs. A mixture of loyalty, yes-man responsiveness, backroom networking and crowd tickling bromides about the virtues of markets and public spending cuts, I imagine. Either that or a dossier of juicy information on every senior colleague.
You might as well return to a hereditary HOL if the outcome of neoliberal meritocracy, as championed by Tory prime ministers, is people like Grayling wearing the ermine. It ironically resembles the political culture of Soviet communism, in which men without qualities rose to rule the fate of millions.
Gruesome thought that the cunt might have a dossier of dubious stories - doubt it tho', surely too stupid to gather, compile and curate it
When he did the ‘work’ at the port, didn’t they have complete blockade for several weeks? Lord Reverse Midas Touch.
You are right about this sense of "when is shit going actually start to happen?" As you point out the recent micro-session of Parliament before conference season and the sphincter-tight budget has tantalised but not delivered. Cute election call timing by cunt Sunak, innit?
When Jenrick said it was “a day of shame” for the country, he showed himself not to suffer from any sense of it.
A bad, bad arsehole of a human.