Long weeks

[sobrique]

Is it really only Wednesday? It seems much longer for some reason.

Ah well, busy is kinda good. It's a fine excuse to 'prioritise' the crappy jobs down into the bin.
Christmas shopping is in the works. It's looking like i'll be able to get everything I want on the internet, which means I don't have to brave the hellish mass of screaming brats and panic stricken chav scum.

SINergy is this weekend. Last session for a couple of months (For obvious reasons, we're not having one the first Sunday in Jan). Which is nice. I think I'll try a few lighter-hearted things. Anyone got a Santa costume? :)

---

In the news this morning, is David Blunkett. Who's in the firing line for 'abuse of power'.
And the heinous charges he's accused of?
Giving his train ticket to a girlfriend.
Reading an immigration application (which subsequently was processed a little faster).

It's a total non-event.

Reading through an immigration application is just doing a favour for a friend.
Fast tracking it? Well, again, who cares? As long as he didn't bend the rules (eg. she wouldn't have otherwise got one) how much difference does it really make if it takes 12 weeks or 12 months?

The train ticket was a little naughty (I understand he's now apologised, and repayed the fare) but really. It's not like he invaded Iraq or anything.

If I'm in a position, and someone I like (doesn't even have to be a friend) asks if I wouldn't mind having a quick look to see if they've done anything wrong, then I see no problem.
Expediting the application through the mountains of civil-service bureacracy. Again, does anyone really care?

An abuse of power it may be, but it's hardly anything to scream, shout and set up an enquiry about.

There are many things I'd like to see a government furore about. Single train tickets and helping an friend's application really aren't on that list.

Comments

[ehrine.livejournal.com]

If I recall, the train tickets were allowed to be used by family anyway :P

One other thing "he did" was getting his governmental car to take his Nanny back home. Hardly an abuse as it was going there anyway carrying documents he needed that weekend :P

[xarrion.livejournal.com]

Who accused him, and why haven't they been shot in the head yet?

[malal.livejournal.com]

I can see a slight case about fast tracking the application, since that's effectivally putting it to the head of the que, thereby slowing down everyone elses application. Which when you're waiting X months can be very grating. However, that's only an issue if she didn't qualify for fast tracking anyway....

[mrph.livejournal.com]

The other issue was supposedly tipping her off to a security alert so that her family could avoid a certain airport. Blunkett says that was public domain info by that point, but if it wasn't then I think it does qualify as an 'issue'...

Repaying the train ticket was a wonderful piece of drama from Blunkett, for all the reasons you mention - just how petty does it make the whole business seem!

The visa, though... we've been there before, with Mandelson and Vaz, as I recall. It was considered an abuse of power then, even once it was clear that money wasn't involved. So why not for Blunkett?

[warmage.livejournal.com]

"It's not like he invaded Iraq or anything."

Pure Comedy Gold!!

also, who the shit is David Blunkett? Maybe he knows Sir Mark a little too well.. oooooooo....

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

David Blunkett is the Home Secretary.
Which means he's notionally in charge of stuff like Visas, ID cards, that kind of thing.

Ironically, the ID card bill is also going through parliment about now...

[paulw.livejournal.com]

One guy from the Prison Officers Union said that he knows of members who were disciplined and dismissed for expenses fiddling. This is no different. Just because he is a Minister doesn't mean he has greater flexability for creative expenses. What was his excuse, he misunderstood the rules. Ignorance is no defense. I'm sure the courts have heard that one before.

[jambon-gris.livejournal.com]

Has anybody noticed that the National Id card bill is going through parilment at the moment? Call me paranoid if you will but, this is the classic trick of putting something up to hold the head lines while something else is snuck through.

[paulw.livejournal.com]

That is going to get through any way..

Mr Blunkett has sent a letter to half a million voters and with it is a questionnaire. The Register wrote this:

"But this is new: along with the letter is a questionnaire asking how Labour is doing, how the recipient is likely to vote next time round and so on. It even has a handy Freepost return envelope. The first question is the bit that we like:

Do you welcome plans to tackle organised crime, illegal immigration, benefit fraud and national security through the introduction of ID cards?

Respondents are given the option to say Yes, No, or Don't Know. There is no option to tick that says: Can we have that as two separate questions, please, Mr. Blunkett?

If that isn't stacking the decks, we don't know what is."