National Bullying Helpline - don't they have to meet DATA PROTECTION laws?

[morningpaper]

I'm not fecking ringing them, the blabbermouths

@ that coming from David Owen. The man who objected to talks over Kosovo (I think, or some other part of former Yugoslavia) being described as the 'Vance/Owen' talks and insisted it was the 'Lord Own/Cyrus Vance' talks.

at people who insist on their honorary titles. Pet hate.

Interesting at there being bullying under Blair and Major. Of the same order as that being reported over the last few days? Agree that bullying can easily be outsourced to SPADS or other henchmen.

TBH there is a lot of 'bullying' in government IMO full stop, whether you work directly with political parties or other government agencies.

The fact is that a lot of people work in this area who can come across as 'bullying', but I suspect if they were told how they made certain individuals feel by their behaviour they would be horrified. It's not that they set out to bully, it's just that they are in high pressure jobs and can get carried away with doing the job.

I think it is shocking that they have all but named people who have contacted them for confidential advice and as a result a lot of people who need support will now not try to get it for fear of being exposed.

LOL edam, maybe David Owen was analysing his very own Dr Hyde.

Honestly, though, I think he was suggesting that politicians should have mental health checks of some kind.

(By him! Then he could be lord of all!)

Anotherlink from JJs - this "charity" looks v dodgy indeed to say the least. Reading the links I have been the whole thing looks to be a sham and basically a way of drawing people in for their "paid for" services.

As such it is hardly surprising that they have breached confidentiality - and of course it is a breach, the information has the potential of identifying an individual/individuals.

Did he really deny ever hitting anyone, smallwhitecat, or was he talking in a "since I have been prime minister" sort of way.

Another high-profile minister was filmed punching someone in the face during an election campaign and it did him no harm at all.

oh yeah, before he was enobled David Owen did insist on being 'Dr' Owen at all times. Bless his cotton socks.

smallwhitecat, I don't think people who say 'yes, and have you seen In The Thick of It?' are apologists for Labour. No idea how they vote. Just saying national politics is a high-pressure arena. I disagree and think however stressful the job, your staff are entitled to work without being bullied - especially junior staff, if typists are being harangued that is appalling.

But there was bullying under previous administrations too. Ask anyone who came across Bernard Ingham! One tiny example - the civil service used to have this quaint tradition that taxpayers funded them to deal with issues to do with the working of government. Party political issues were referred to the relevant party.

During the Major government, there was a minister who got into trouble over what was definitely a party issue - something to do with being nasty to a little boy in the constituency, think he dragged the kid into his house (got the wrong kid, it was some other child who had been misbehaving).

Special adviser stormed into the press office and started giving a lecture about how to respond to press queries. A middle ranking press officer dared to suggest this was a party matter. Cue screaming and stamping of feet and general fury. SPAD had no business instructing civil servants anyway but they did and civil servants had to obey. (Think this government has introduced some rules here, which is at least some progress.)

LOLOLOL - twould be hilarious if only they weren't running the country, taking us to war, etc.

This smells very odd. I wouldn't trust Mrs Pratt. Glad I have never need to use her services. Glad I pay my union duea and have a good family behind me for the bad times. I believe the dog story. GB needs to get a new job he is not coping, his health is being effected and he is behaving irrationally. Mandleson comes across as pure evil, stab in the back type person. Don't trust him. Don't trust David either Not looking good is it.

At least Mandy had to declare zero tolerance of bullying, rofl. Management Today are saying the whole business is sending the wrong message to senior leaders. You're telling me.

I think edam meant that Labour have introduced some rules to govern the division between party matters and government matters.

Pratt by name....

I wonder whether it's possible to reach the top in national politics and retain an impeccable moral sense? Lying, dissembling, insulting others, chiselling expenses etc etc seem to be standard behaviours in both the main parties.

Am aghast that the director of a helpline would even hint at the whereabouts of the workplace of a person who has phoned in confidence.

And I'd say that wherever the workplace - or whoever the putative bullying boss - might be.

another one has stepped down

I think christine pratt has bungled this bigtime. The whole setup sounds extremely dodgy to me.

Christine Pratt was interviewed on Radio 4 this morning just after 8. Her HUSBAND heads up one of the companies that that her charity promotes (a paid for counselling service)

unbelievable eh?

pratt indeed

Yes hana those links posted earier show that too.

And that the company actually works for the employers to minimise the cost of claims.

So what happens is:

You get bullied at work
You turn to helpline
They tell you about their sister company service and give you a letter template to send to your employer which includes suggestion that the company is used to handle the dispute

Thus the bullying victim is persuaded to introduce a paid for service to the employer, who then acts for the emplyer ie against the person who contacted them in the first place.

At least that's what those links say.

If that is what happens

Then just

I don't think GB is coming out of this particually well, we have had two books now that show what a nasty, scheming, backstabbing bully he is (alledgedly), that goes with all the accounts of his behaviour from the years he was at the treasury. I think it's safe to say not just where there's smoke, but this house is burning down call the fire brigade.

Is it any wonder (having knowledge of what was in those books) that GB was paraded on tv to show his 'softer' side to the public? But I am not buying it. The man is horrible, next to Mandleson he is the most dispicable figure in the labour party (with Balls running third) and I don't want these people running the country.

It's one thing to say your going to 'bang heads together' to get the job done it quite another to actually do it.

smallwhitecat - I think our memories of past administrations are fading, but Tory sleaze included cash in brown envelopes for asking questions (was that Neil Hamilton?), Thatch being friendly with apartheid S Africa because it was good for Denis's business (remember the Hang Nelson Mandela T-shirts warn by Tory youth?), reducing the garrison on the Falklands even though they were warned the Argentinian dictatorship would see this as a sign we wouldn't mind if they turned up (ooh look, a handy, winnable war to boost popularity and distract from problems at home...).

Current government is far from perfect but its failings are NOT unique.