What kind of fucked-up, dysfunctional workplace is our government operating in?

[noblegiraffe]

Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament? Can't get through the day without a suitcase of wine in Downing Street, drugs everywhere in Parliament? Subsidised bars on work premises?

I guess the fact that they tried to make an exemption for the bars in the Houses of Parliament when introducing a curfew for pubs should have been a warning sign that there's far too much reliance on alcohol in our ruling classes.

There was a lot of talk about standards in public life during the Owen Paterson scandal. Surely not being pissed or high on the job is a basic standard?

Aside from the issue that they couldn't even stop having massive piss-ups during lockdown, AIBU to think that something needs to be done to introduce basic rules like 'If you're not safe to drive, you're not allowed to vote in new laws'?

If you wouldn't be happy with a teacher teaching your kids half-cut and would expect rules to prevent this, why should we tolerate our government ruling the country while making their way through the contents of the wine fridge?

People have been posting 'oh yes, it's always been like this'.

Well it shouldn't be in future.

Brindle88
I’m convinced there are a lot of Tory shills online these days.

Of course - any criticism of the Labour Party on Mumsnet is posted by a "shrill" or a "bot" - the 2019 election result must have been something of a shock for you.

This Guardian article is interesting about the drink culture in Downing Street www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/16/from-prosecco-tuesdays-to-thank-you-tipples-no-10-has-a-serious-drink-problem

Shows it's not just a Boris problem. Rewarding staff with alcohol in the office because they've 'worked hard' is not appropriate.

It’s not right wing posts that make me suspect shills. It’s a set of posters who appear on any thread that puts the government in bad light and derail it.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10276885/amp/Drugs-sniffer-dogs-introduced-Parliament-combat-use-heart-Westminster.html

There’s more than just boozing going on…

@Brindle88

For those saying the drink at work culture is rife

Teachers, care assistants, police officers, lorry drivers etc, you know, the types this country couldn’t function without, would be sacked for it.

Slap in the face that entitled, fuckwit politicians get pissed at our expense then vote laws through that affect us, when we would be sacked.

This

So YANBU op, very dysfunctional culture.

@Clavinova

Brindle88 I’m convinced there are a lot of Tory shills online these days.

Of course - any criticism of the Labour Party on Mumsnet is posted by a "shrill" or a "bot" - the 2019 election result must have been something of a shock for you.

It's not so much that, as that any thread criticising the government (where to start with this shower) immediately attracts a flood of "but what about..." posts making all sorts of claims about Labour as if that justifies how shit this government is in some way.

@Brindle88

For those saying the drink at work culture is rife

Teachers, care assistants, police officers, lorry drivers etc, you know, the types this country couldn’t function without, would be sacked for it.

Slap in the face that entitled, fuckwit politicians get pissed at our expense then vote laws through that affect us, when we would be sacked.

In the vast, vast majority of workplaces you would be disciplined for consuming alcohol now.

Contrast to Westminster, where there is not only a culture of drinking on the job there is a fucking bar subsidised by the taxpayer.

One rule for us, another for them. AGAIN.

Alexandra2001
Plenty of political figures are photographed with a beer or three! Farage made a career out of it...

I thought Keir Starmer was cultivating a serious image? Now you tell me he's the next Nigel Farage.

Nigel Farage: 'I am a boozer, not an alcoholic'

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11324307/Nigel-Farage-I-am-a-boozer-not-an-alcoholic.html

I think the difference is Boris was making the rules, ensuring they were enforced on us

When did Keir Starmer vote against Covid restrictions? List of MPs here to get you started;

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2021/dec/14/how-did-your-mp-vote-on-the-new-covid-restrictions

a bottle of beer now and again,

BBC's Sophie Raworth interviewing Keir Starmer about his Durham constituency drink today;

www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1550807/Keir-Starmer-BBC-Labour-Party-leader-Sophie-Raworth-party-gate-Boris-Johnson-latest-vn

[quote Clavinova]Alexandra2001
Plenty of political figures are photographed with a beer or three! Farage made a career out of it...

I thought Keir Starmer was cultivating a serious image? Now you tell me he's the next Nigel Farage.

Nigel Farage: 'I am a boozer, not an alcoholic'

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11324307/Nigel-Farage-I-am-a-boozer-not-an-alcoholic.html

I think the difference is Boris was making the rules, ensuring they were enforced on us

When did Keir Starmer vote against Covid restrictions? List of MPs here to get you started;

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2021/dec/14/how-did-your-mp-vote-on-the-new-covid-restrictions

a bottle of beer now and again,

BBC's Sophie Raworth interviewing Keir Starmer about his Durham constituency drink today;

www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1550807/Keir-Starmer-BBC-Labour-Party-leader-Sophie-Raworth-party-gate-Boris-Johnson-latest-vn[/quote]
None of which excuses what is clearly a culture of "we'll get pissed at work and ignore the lockdown rules" at number 10, of course.

And that's if you ignore the fact that the Starmer picture has been shown to be within the lockdown restrictions at the time, again and again and again....

I'm curious, are you paid to post this rubbish or do you really not have anything better to do?

I have worked for the government and I can honestly say it is the most toxic, dysfunctional, back-handed, nepotistic and duplicitous place to work.

noblegiraffe
One rule for us, another for them. AGAIN

Ironic isn't - Dominic Cummings 'caught out' in Durham - Keir Starmer allegedly 'caught out' in Durham', Labour MP and Labour Mayor attending a lockdown party in County Durham;

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18484861.mp-kevan-jones-defends-decision-attend-100th-birthday-party-lockdown/

WindyState
I'm curious, are you paid to post this rubbish or do you really not have anything better to do?

You first.

I don't think I post as much as noblegiraffe - she's a hard working teacher.

You're certainly having fun with Google today, Clav.
None of which alters the fact that these "events" were not permitted under the rules at the time.
Clearly there is a toxic culture of drinking at Westminster - all parties included. That's an issue for another day.
The issue at hand is that this is being used to excuse the people who set the law breaking the laws.

Clav, you keep forgetting I'm not a Labour supporter so your posts are not 'gotchas'.

If there is a general culture of drinking at work among all parties, that just strengthens my feelings that we shouldn't be paying for it or facilitating it.

WindyState
And that's if you ignore the fact that the Starmer picture has been shown to be within the lockdown restrictions at the time, again and again and again...

By whom?

@Clavinova

WindyState I'm curious, are you paid to post this rubbish or do you really not have anything better to do?

You first.

I don't think I post as much as noblegiraffe - she's a hard working teacher.

Am I paid to come on here? No, but then I don't troll every single thread related to the tories with utter falsehoods.

Your turn.

noblegiraffe
you keep forgetting I'm not a Labour supporter so your posts are not 'gotchas'

I don't think it matters whether you support Labour, the LibDems or another party - you start numerous anti-Tory threads.

@Clavinova

WindyState And that's if you ignore the fact that the Starmer picture has been shown to be within the lockdown restrictions at the time, again and again and again...

By whom?

By anyone capable of reading what the lockdown rules were at the time.

WindyState
No, but then I don't troll every single thread related to the tories with utter falsehoods.

Neither do I.

you start numerous anti-Tory threads.

Yes, because they are in government and have been for over a decade and are doing a truly shit job.

I saw it pointed out on twitter today that Parliament had to finish sitting this week at 3:30pm on Wednesday because there was no government business.

Presumably there's no government business because the Tories are literally not working. This is not entirely surprising when their idea of work is easily confused with everyone else's idea of a party.

"The huge impact of the pandemic can’t totally explain the lack of detailed policy progress since 2019. Apart from Brexit, its points-based immigration system and some tougher crime sentences, there has been little delivery on promises made and the thinness of last year’s Queen’s Speech may be repeated this year too.

The list of delayed policy is stacking up like a sink full of unfinished washing up: planning reform, “a million” new homes, an NHS recovery plan or workforce strategy, an Energy Bill to secure climate change jobs, skills, social care, childcare, workers’ rights are all in a holding pattern."

inews.co.uk/opinion/no-10-downing-street-party-scandal-tories-boris-johnson-lack-policy-1402356

At least Keir Starmer appeared on TV today and explained himself.

Boris is still ‘self-isolating’ even though the current rules don’t require this. Perhaps he’s a changed man.

@noblegiraffe

Should I be having a drink in the evening when it's parents evening then? Mojito on the desk next to me as I chat to parents?

They served wine at parents evenings at my (private) school. Seemed perfectly civilised.

To the teachers? While they were doing appointments?

God, how the other half live.