The dark arts of Starmer’s reshuffle: The charade was powered by sycophancy and spin - Rosie Duffield

[IwantToRetire]

It’s always fascinating to watch from the sidelines as this charade plays out.

First comes the not-so-subtle toadying up to teachers (aka lobbying), then the speculation and rumours, followed by the seething rage as current shadow ministers have to endure the humiliating and crude discourtesy of reading another’s appointment to their role via a Labour Party tweet. Watch them quietly boiling away for days, with a rictus grin plastered on as they wait to announce themselves “thrilled” with whatever’s left. Which kind of begs the question: how did they grin and bear the past 10 months or two years as Minister for Endangered Birds if what they really longed for was to be Minister for Ethical Fashion?

So, back in the real world, I will continue to fulfil the role I have been permanently cast in: the child announcing the Emperor is stark naked as he parades a new suit of clothes spun by a couple of charlatan tailors, versed at spinning tall tales to please those in power.

From a longer article at https://unherd.com/2023/09/the-dark-art-of-toadying-to-starmer

Ordinary in the sense that you are theret to do a job as per job description.

Unlike political shinanigans where who you know, who you schmooze with or are in with the current in thinking, is how to get ahead.

I do know that in a lot of work places there are work place politics, and sometimes people get promotions they probably shouldn't, but by and large the focus of work is to do the job. In this case represent your constituents, not presume to tell 50%+ of them that they cant say they are a woman, they cant worry about cultist behaviour, and they have to accept men in women's spaces.

And you certainly dont expect, when representing the views of constituents to have some crased male buzzing round you, trying to intimidate you and stop you from speaking.

Party politics is totally disfunctional.

And as always women and children come out worse from this disfunction.