Paxman On Fire

[Herr Tubthumper]

Cameron only gave her the job because he thought she was a qualified accountant. She isn't.

This is the more concerning issue for me.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Chloe Smith is Economic Secretary to the Treasury, FFS. By my reckoning, that makes her number five in the government department that's supposed to look after the country's economic welfare. On the treasury website, top of the list of her responsibilities is "Environmental issues including taxation of transport."

Whether or not she is competent to do this job, if anyone had authority to answer questions, it ought to have been her. If the government puts her up as a representative of the treasury, Paxman is entitled to go in with all guns blazing. If they thought that he might hold back a bit if they put a slightly hopeless woman up, then that's utterly shameful.

This is the bottom line.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I am not part of a government so do not know how it works but I assume Osborne gave her strict instructions on what to say and what not to say and she was hamstrung with this. That the way I reckon it works. Anyway she was the sacrificial Lamb and Osborne and Cameron can carry on their " we are all in it together and really care about hard working families UK tour "

 

[CHAPPERS]

She was either told what not to say or didn't know. Which is worse?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

She was either told what not to say or didn't know. Which is worse?

I imagine she was taken by surprise by the simplicity of the question "when did you find out?" and couldn't decide whether she was allowed to say or not, so tried to stonewall and ended up looking ridiculous.

It's quite frightening that people like this are in charge - her for a agreeing to do a job she's not up to and Osborne for sending her out as a human shield.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I don't buy the "sacrificial lamb" argument. By sacrificing you usually placate the beneficiary in some shape or form. Paxman was anything but placated by the end of that interview, and that interview will no doubt increase his notion of "omnishambles".

The woman's judgement failed her; she needed to be more candid and should have least have told him at what point she was notified of the U-turn. We all know it was within 24 hours of the interview anyway.

Being interviewed by Paxman is never easy but she ticked every box on the "Wrong" Checklist.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I am not part of a government so do not know how it works but I assume Osborne gave her strict instructions on what to say and what not to say and she was hamstrung with this. That the way I reckon it works. Anyway she was the sacrificial Lamb and Osborne and Cameron can carry on their " we are all in it together and really care about hard working families UK tour "

I know at least one junior minister in the government who rarely meets the Secretary of State who heads the department that he works in (or at least that's how it was two years ago). I doubt very much if Osborne is any different with his junior ministers.

You can't have it both ways, though. Either she was the "sacrificial lamb" or she was given strict instructions what to say. Whichever it was, it was a monumental cock-up by someone and Gideon has to take the responsibility.

 

[Rich Suvner]

Chloe Smith is Economic Secretary to the Treasury, FFS. By my reckoning, that makes her number five in the government department that's supposed to look after the country's economic welfare. On the treasury website, top of the list of her responsibilities is "Environmental issues including taxation of transport."

Whether or not she is competent to do this job, if anyone had authority to answer questions, it ought to have been her. If the government puts her up as a representative of the treasury, Paxman is entitled to go in with all guns blazing. If they thought that he might hold back a bit if they put a slightly hopeless woman up, then that's utterly shameful.

Got to say this is a very strong argument and one that hasn't been made enough.

It doesn't discount the fact that more senior people passed the buck, but if you are going to act in this capacity within the Treasury, frankly I'd expect a slightly better understanding of the inherent contradictions being trotted out without thought - ie removing future taxable receipts is supporting the primary work of cutting the deficit.

 

[Rich Suvner]

I Paxman was an absolute tosser and just asked questions he knew she did not have the authority to answer live on tv and carried on with this line of questioning to make her look like a fool and humiliate her. If you think this is fine, great but there is a way of asking questions and actually getting some info and Paxman achieved absolutely f*** all in the 8 minutes, but to bully a Woman.

Promising young MP or not, Chloe and her political masters were served a political lesson by Paxman.
The interview served to highlight that ensuring rigour in policy decisions continues to be treated with contempt by this government, who are clearly not thinking through proposals in detail in advance. The number of about turns is testament to that. And that next time a similar decision is taken, the real decision makers need to be more accountable in explaining the rationale rather than delegating to people who appear to have been marginal in taking final decisions.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

The Govt and / or individual Ministers appear to continually making up policy on the hoof (last week scrapping GCSEs, this a week u-turn on the fuel escalator) instead of announcing decisions in planned and structured way it might give the impression they were in control, instead the coalition is starting make new labour look almost tolerable (but aren't of course). The sad thing is that the positive 'good news' message to cancel the fuel escalator has been lost in the disaster of the Paxman interview and gifted a PR coup to the opposition, worse still to Ed Balls of all people.

You get the impression from the shambolic way the country appears to be run that many MPs who get elevated to Ministerial posts don't really have any proven expertise or competence in their area of responsibility. We only get to hear of the cock ups that make the public domain, so wonder what the reality is behind closed doors? Once upon a time Ministers had a 'Sir Humphrey' type to mentor and guide them but the culture now seems to be for 'special advisors', consultants and spin doctors who allegedly know better.

You also have to ask if MPs had been any good at being accountants, solicitors, business managers and previously had a successful career in the real world why would they go on to be an MP - unless for idealogical reasons or because they are already millionaires and want to influence future policy in their favour? So I fear that many MPs end up in posts where they are beyond their capabilities.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The Govt and / or individual Ministers appear to continually making up policy on the hoof (last week scrapping GCSEs, this a week u-turn on the fuel escalator) instead of announcing decisions in planned and structured way it might give the impression they were in control, instead the coalition is starting make new labour look almost tolerable (but aren't of course). The sad thing is that the positive 'good news' message to cancel the fuel escalator has been lost in the disaster of the Paxman interview and gifted a PR coup to the opposition, worse still to Ed Balls of all people.

You get the impression from the shambolic way the country appears to be run that many MPs who get elevated to Ministerial posts don't really have any proven expertise or competence in their area of responsibility. We only get to hear of the cock ups that make the public domain, so wonder what the reality is behind closed doors? Once upon a time Ministers had a 'Sir Humphrey' type to mentor and guide them but the culture now seems to be for 'special advisors', consultants and spin doctors who allegedly know better.

You also have to ask if MPs had been any good at being accountants, solicitors, business managers and previously had a successful career in the real world why would they go on to be an MP - unless for idealogical reasons or because they are already millionaires and want to influence future policy in their favour? So I fear that many MPs end up in posts where they are beyond their capabilities.

At least you can't accuse Gideon Oliver Osborne of being a failed accountant, solicitor or business manager.

Osborne's first job was entering the names of people who had died in London into a National Health Service computer. He also briefly worked for Selfridges, re-folding towels. He originally intended to pursue a career in journalism, but instead got a job at Conservative Central Office. He joined the Conservative Research Department in 1994 and became head of the Political Section. Between 1995 and 1997 he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as special advisor to minister Douglas Hogg (during the BSE crisis) and worked in the Political Office at 10 Downing Street. Between 1997 and 2001, he worked for then Conservative leader William Hague as a speechwriter and Political Secretary. In this role he helped prepare Hague for the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions, often playing the role of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Under the successive leaderships of Michael Howard and David Cameron he remained on the Prime Minister's Questions team. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Tatton, Cheshire, in June 2001.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

At least you can't accuse Gideon Oliver Osborne of being a failed accountant, solicitor or business manager.

Osborne's first job was entering the names of people who had died in London into a National Health Service computer. He also briefly worked for Selfridges, re-folding towels. He originally intended to pursue a career in journalism, but instead got a job at Conservative Central Office. He joined the Conservative Research Department in 1994 and became head of the Political Section. Between 1995 and 1997 he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as special advisor to minister Douglas Hogg (during the BSE crisis) and worked in the Political Office at 10 Downing Street. Between 1997 and 2001, he worked for then Conservative leader William Hague as a speechwriter and Political Secretary. In this role he helped prepare Hague for the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions, often playing the role of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Under the successive leaderships of Michael Howard and David Cameron he remained on the Prime Minister's Questions team. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Tatton, Cheshire, in June 2001.

We're f***ed.

 

[Biscuit]

Gideon set her up big time there. He was too much of a coward to face Paxman so sent Chloe Smith like a lamb to the slaughter.

 

[Diego Napier]

I disagree and am happy I think like that. I personally don't think she crumbled and if she was a Labour MP I can 100% guarantee you would be saying she was heroic in her defence with Paxman. Paxman was an absolute tosser and just asked questions he knew she did not have the authority to answer live on tv and carried on with this line of questioning to make her look like a fool and humiliate her. If you think this is fine, great but there is a way of asking questions and actually getting some info and Paxman achieved absolutely f*** all in the 8 minutes, but to bully a Woman.

If that's what you believe then you are as naive as her