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.

@AuldAlliance

Takeaway pizzas would make a right mess in a suitcase, though.

Do you put them above or below the wine? I feel we need to know what the optimal packing order is.

I think perhaps you insert them between the bottles to stop them bashing together and smashing. I was wondering how they avoided that problem. Now I know.
These people are well smart. No wonder they're running the country.

[quote Clavinova]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/[/quote]
Been here before.... You really must try harder!

Been here before.... You really must try harder!

I thought it might be quite nice to around that block again, it is Sunday after all and we don't want anything too taxing.

Sophie Raworth is comparing Keir Starmer's meeting with the Number 10 'cheese and wine meeting' - she asks why Starmer's meeting is different and comments that an outdoor meeting would appear to safer than an indoor meeting. Boris Johnson didn't attend 'an after hours knees up with DJ sets, a broken swing and suitcases of wine.'

What about the other 16 parties and friday night piss ups? all which Bojo either went too, endorsed or organised.

Interesting to note that you don’t need a license to sell alcohol on Crown premises. Wine with your lunchtime sandwich in the canteen anyone ?

@AuldAlliance

I think perhaps you insert them between the bottles to stop them bashing together and smashing. I was wondering how they avoided that problem. Now I know. These people are well smart. No wonder they're running the country.

😂😂😂

To be fair back bench opposition MP Kevan Jones was probably more engaged with what was going on in Parliament at the time. Probably one of those swotty types that does their homework.

Johnson was a member of Pop and the Bullingdon club and it simply isn’t fair to have the same expectations.

@PartyOnKale

There's a long and tragic history of alcoholism amongst MPs. They maybe need protecting from themselves.

Yes, reading all this brings to mind a certain former leader of the Liberal Democrats who tragically succumbed to alcohol abuse. You would think that would be a sobering reminder for this lot.

Assuming Boris stays for now, I’m wondering what the government will offer to appease the public. Scrapping the tv licence fee perhaps, or scrapping VAT/green taxes on fuel bills in anticipation of the forthcoming price increases ? Perhaps we should all get our orders in now.

Lots of people will not want the TV license fee to be scrapped.

Also VAT on domestic fuel bills is at reduced rate of 5%, so just cutting that will still leave many struggling.

offer to appease the public.

Nothing. They will offer nothing because they do not give a single fuck and it isn't an election year.

Maybe they could offer a time machine to go back and replace all the lost moments with love ones, because apparently they were only joking about the rules?

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

offer to appease the public.

Nothing. They will offer nothing because they do not give a single fuck and it isn't an election year.

Local elections in May though.

There are jobs where a drink or two is part of the workplace culture: much of the entertainment industry, for example. If you are an uptight whinyarse, though, you probably wouldn't want to work somewhere like that in the first place.
Also re the issue of workplace socialising: yes, it's a tricky one. People shouldn't be pressured to attend work socials they would rather avoid as that makes it unpaid overtime. The fact remains that some people do like to make friends with colleagues and are very attached to their jobs and the industries they work in: there is noting inherently wrong with this. Most workplaces develop a 'culture' of some sort, whether that's everyone keep their heads down and flee from each other at the end of the day, or everyone sign up to the company pub quiz team or whatever. Attempts to make a company 'more inclusive' by prohibiting things that the majority of staff enjoy are rarely going to work: people just tend to start resenting the office whinyarse.

@Wreath21

There are jobs where a drink or two is part of the workplace culture: much of the entertainment industry, for example. If you are an uptight whinyarse, though, you probably wouldn't want to work somewhere like that in the first place. Also re the issue of workplace socialising: yes, it's a tricky one. People shouldn't be pressured to attend work socials they would rather avoid as that makes it unpaid overtime. The fact remains that some people do like to make friends with colleagues and are very attached to their jobs and the industries they work in: there is noting inherently wrong with this. Most workplaces develop a 'culture' of some sort, whether that's everyone keep their heads down and flee from each other at the end of the day, or everyone sign up to the company pub quiz team or whatever. Attempts to make a company 'more inclusive' by prohibiting things that the majority of staff enjoy are rarely going to work: people just tend to start resenting the office whinyarse.

There is a difference between social activities that are attached to work and drinking at your desk and during big standard meetings.

In this case, by trying to claim that illegal work social were part of the working day, Downing Street have just given the impression that they are permanently sloshed.

Some people do drink at their desk on occasion and work meetings as it is part of business development in certain sectors. The point is here though that is that it was illegal to do any of that at that time.

@Goldenbear

Some people do drink at their desk on occasion and work meetings as it is part of business development in certain sectors. The point is here though that is that it was illegal to do any of that at that time.

Agreed. But, predictably, all the whiners are out, and missing that key point in favour of scolding about the evils of drinking.

I’m afraid there is no way you can spin drinking at your desk as anything other than unproductive and a bit sad.

Maybe OK if you are Hemingway. Not if you are trying to put statistics on a PowerPoint.

“Whiners”.

Taxpayers are not ‘whining’ when they expect public servants to not be drinking alcohol when they’re meant to be working. Particularly not if that drink is being subsidised by the taxpayer.

And especially not if it is illegal at that time.

If you don’t understand that, perhaps the constant alcohol consumption isn’t a great idea.

What they were drinking is not the point. The point is that they were socialising when they had ordered the public, on pain of severe punishment, not to socialise or do anything 'inessential'.

@Wreath21
I'm not whining, Gov depts are the same as any other public sector dept and drinking on the premises should not be permitted. The sale of alcohol should not be permitted. I maybe plankton, job wise, in the job food chain (and happy to be that) , but it should be the same rule for all. That's even more important in government. It has to stop being the bastion of the old boys network, where you clock in and out at your convenience, pop into the Parliament bar have a snifter or 2 and go back to vote. The retirement do for my colleagues with 30+ yrs service was 10 people, 2m apart standing outside and a short speech. No piss up for someone with just 1 yrs service in the office or back garden (with swing). Infection control would have had our guts for garters and rightly so. My colleagues who retired helped to train most of those working in the dept from head of service downwards and hundreds of others along the way. Yeah I'm pissed off. I'd have been sacked for what they did.

If people think that expecting the Govt to do the job they are elected for is whining then it goes a long way to explaining why we have such a crap Government.

No evidence of alcohol being a performance-enhancing drug for them, is there?