howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
courtesy of the independent
Cabinet ministers are up in arms after being ordered to use public transport rather than official Government cars to get to events at the London Games, The Independent has learnt.
Downing Street has banned ministers from taking cars altogether, fearing bad publicity if ministers are caught using special Olympic "ZiL" lanes (named after the limousine lanes used by Soviet leaders) while everyone else crams on to the Tube.
Ministers have also been warned they must not take family members to any events where they have an official role - even if they pay for tickets themselves. Instead they will be expected to be on hand at all times to schmooze invited businessmen and leaders who they will have to "entertain" as guests of the Government.
But the strict procedures have infuriated some senior Government figures who claim that the "hair shirt rules" have put them in such a bad mood that the last thing they feel like is being nice to their official guest.
One Cabinet minister told The Independent: "This has caused a lot of ill-feeling and frankly some of us would rather not be going to anything at all.
"The rules are unbelievably draconian. We've basically been told we're on our own and have to look after our guests with no official support and we'll have to go by Tube as well.
"I know they're worried about how it will look if we're seen to get special treatment but at the end of the day we're supposed to be representing the Government. I'd rather be sitting at home watching it on television."
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#2
Absurd over the top rules.
People need to relax and stop looking over their shoulders all the time for our modern day puritan tendency. Ignore them.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
i thought it was about setting an example barry, dave is to be applauded for the initiative.
most "important" people travel by tube in london it is actually the quickest method of transport by far.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#4
barry lets be fair,if the erks,yokels and riff raff,plus foringn visators have to travel whithout privalidge so should ministers,the queen should be the execption to the rule.but there again if your a republican a number 10 buss should suffice.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#5
its a great move,
and maybe they will at last see real life
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Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#6
Where's the problem?
If the Ministers were to prioritise their schmoozing of 'guests' they would soon learn that they could be in the guest's motorcade travelling to an event.
Knowing that Ministers are using the tube would go a long way to reassuring the public that the security situation was top-notch. And if they fear being recognised...have them use flesh-coloured nose pegs rather than the bright coloured ones.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#7
let them see real life for a change
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Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#8
kieth,do you mean they have to hang around with the great unwashed.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#9
not coming as far as the folkestone road brian.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#10
make them howard lol they may even venture into belgrave road
and meet howard the mayor of belgrave rd
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
you know me keith i will find time to give them audience so long as that rum cove pickles is not amongst them.
i have had my fridge emptied by people like him before.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#12
i thought that folkestone road was an olimpic venue howard,the over filled bin race.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#13
We get a Gold for that one Brian.
Roger
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#14
and many other golds lol
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Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#15
went up that way friday and the saw the over full industial bins at a certain adress.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#16
lots of different houses brian
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Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#17
kieth in between the railway station and the elms vale juntion on the left hand side going towards folkestone.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#18
And they're reported every week Brian and every week the residents are spoken to about them then they are O.K. for perhaps a day (or two).
Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act allows local authorities to fine these peope so, this is the next step, but it all has to be researched by legal as they don't want some smart-arse soliciior finding a loop-hole.
Roger
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#19
sadly roger
i feel this will go round in circles
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Guest 725- Registered: 7 Oct 2011
- Posts: 1,418
#20
Bad news all round today. Tim Yeo is still in office. And the day started so well.