It's a Tory myth.

 

They SMASHED the deficit left by the Tories and the when they made a surplus they started investing it. Unfortunately this lccjrred at the same time as yhe unfettered capitalist 2008 crash. Tories woulda done the same, not that they would have ever had a surplus. The deficit is increasing yearly under Osborne lol.

I think you'll find we do need consultants. We can't run a world class healthcare system without them.

I think you'll find we do need consultants. We can't run a world class healthcare system without them.

 

Which gives me an excuse to post this clip from Yes Minister (a different clip) -

 

Nah it was higher under Labour than previous Tory. As Labour were pursuing unfettered banking capitalist wet dreams while they were in power, they allowed the capitalist catastrophe to occur along with most other western governments, who were all dazzled in the headlights of corruption taxes coming in to the national coffers. Tax from the banks profits made the deficit look a lot better than it actually was (circa 38%), but it was all just an illusion that melted away once it became obvious how much in debt the banks were. The banks and the rich got away Scot free and the poor paid the price. To pretend this is a Tory only cause (they changed the rules on investment banking and Labour jumped in headfirst cheered on by the Tories) is a bit of a one-sided viewpoint. Ask Corbyn, he voted against his own party most of the time during that period.... :lol:

 

I think you'll find we do need consultants. We can't run a world class healthcare system without them.

 

well I certainly back those ones :lol:

Which gives me an excuse to post this clip from Yes Minister (a different clip) -

 

 

I really should re-watch Yes Minister, timeless :lol:

I really should re-watch Yes Minister, timeless :lol:

 

That's what I love about Yes Minister. Even though some of the references might be a little bit out of date (mainly the references to the Soviet Union), a lot of the stories and situations are incredibly relevant. I almost posted this other clip a while back when discussing Trident -

 

Consultants are sometimes necessary, but you have to bear in mind that their aim is to remain in business. This means that they have to obey certain rules.

 

First, there is "the rule of the bleeding' obvious". This is the easy bit. They look at what is going on and notice some obvious problems. These problems are so obvious that staff have been telling their bosses about them for years. However, those members of staff are paid less than their superiors and they don't have the word "consultant" in their job title. Therefore, their suggestions are ignored. When the same suggestions are made by men (they are still mostly men) in expensive suits and charging £1,000+ per day, those same bosses describe the suggestions as the work of a genius.

 

That is the simple bit then. They go on to make other recommendations. Some of these will be sensible, others seemingly less so. The golden rule they have to remember is that at least one of those recommendations has to be a bad one. The trick is then to ensure that the bad recommendation is adopted.

 

Why? That's easy. It means that the company will need to employ another lot of consultants to make another set of recommendations. They too will make sure that at least one bad recommendation is adopted.

 

This will go on until the original firm of consultants is employed again as all the others have had their turn. Thus, it is a never-ending cycle keeping the large consultancy firms in work.

 

Not that I'm at all cynical, of course.

OMG Corbyn just DEMANDED Cameron reveal his tax return - he's gonna DRAG him over the COALS for this!! :cheer: Andd when Cameron is hosting a tax avoidance summit next month! :lol:

Don't be silly that'll be the Tory back benchers causing this!

OMG Corbyn just DEMANDED Cameron reveal his tax return - he's gonna DRAG him over the COALS for this!! :cheer: Andd when Cameron is hosting a tax avoidance summit next month! :lol:

Cameron once promised to publish his tax returns. Like so many of his other promises, it has proved worthless.

Don't be silly that'll be the Tory back benchers causing this!

Yes, and you will notice that Cameron won't reveal his tax return until any do (unless it's spotless in which case he'd be stupid not to).

Consultants are sometimes necessary, but you have to bear in mind that their aim is to remain in business. This means that they have to obey certain rules.

 

First, there is "the rule of the bleeding' obvious". This is the easy bit. They look at what is going on and notice some obvious problems. These problems are so obvious that staff have been telling their bosses about them for years. However, those members of staff are paid less than their superiors and they don't have the word "consultant" in their job title. Therefore, their suggestions are ignored. When the same suggestions are made by men (they are still mostly men) in expensive suits and charging £1,000+ per day, those same bosses describe the suggestions as the work of a genius.

 

That is the simple bit then. They go on to make other recommendations. Some of these will be sensible, others seemingly less so. The golden rule they have to remember is that at least one of those recommendations has to be a bad one. The trick is then to ensure that the bad recommendation is adopted.

 

Why? That's easy. It means that the company will need to employ another lot of consultants to make another set of recommendations. They too will make sure that at least one bad recommendation is adopted.

 

This will go on until the original firm of consultants is employed again as all the others have had their turn. Thus, it is a never-ending cycle keeping the large consultancy firms in work.

 

Not that I'm at all cynical, of course.

 

All very logical :lol:

 

I'm afraid my recent experience of consultants goes:

 

1) Councillors come up with a money-saving efficiency-guaranteed plan (that staff who have been around long-enough have seen fail before, the politicians are all new and have no experience of it). Staff who point out the bleeding obvious are seen as negative trouble-makers, even though it's their job to point out glaring errors and dangers, and get sacked/removed/retired/silenced with pay-offs.

 

2) Expensive consultants are hired to make the case for the politicians. This gives them someone to blame when it all goes wrong. None of the problems staff have pointed out are even mentioned.

 

3) Full steam ahead on the changes. Hire more consultants to oversee the process and write the contract. These people have no practical experience, in-depth knowledge, and never admit it's a botch-rush job. Staff who have this knowledge and experience are kept far, far away so it can be done quickly before anyone can halt the process.

 

4) Contract implemented, firm goes bankrupt within 6 months as warned by ex-staff, and contract has black-holes in it that suck in cash. Finances are not made public as this is confidential information. Voters, obviously, should have no idea what they are paying for :P Remaining staff end up doing 2 jobs for the price of one as the staff may have been transferred to the private sector but the roles haven't. oops!

 

5) PR consultants show how successful the whole process has been shortly before it's bought back in-house comfortably within the time-table cynical me had predicted. More consultants are hired to oversee the smooth transition back. This involves no desk moving, no job moving, just changing wage slip issuing for staff returning to the Council, and the clearing-off of non-Council staff who have free office accommodation.

 

I could also go on about idiot politicians, idiot private companies and idiot staff who believe what idiot salespeople tell them about new IT systems they are being sold. My council has one expert on data transfer for a bespoke system that only one person in the whole world knows how to use (me) and a knack for spotting bullshit. I warned the promised 6 month completed implementation of a new system would take minimum 2 years because the people involved didn't understand the issues. I was ignored, and it's now 5 years later. I'm still using the bespoke system and we are going (probably) at long last for the system that all councils use for property management.

 

The myth that the private sector is more efficient than the public is complete bollocks. It CAN be, when run properly, but they are only as good as the folk in control, just like Councils. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd better not mention the word Mouchel :P

I'd better not mention the word Mouchel :P

 

I work for a fictional council, I couldn't possibly confirm or deny specific names - well not until I'm ready to retire at any rate. Sadly, I don't think my silence would be worth paying up for :lol:

 

Just saw this on my Facebook feed and they've got some of those characters absolutely spot on! :lol:

one of the most effective PPB I've seen! Funny too... :lol:

What a great PPB :lol:

A NEW POLL HAS CORBYN 6 POINTS AHEAD OF THE GERYMANDERING TORIES!!

 

Noooow can we change the title please?

"A quick update on polls in the weekend papers. The Independent on Sunday is no more, but the Sunday edition of the Indy’s website seems to be continuing with their monthly ComRes online poll (shared with the Sunday Mirror). Topline voting intention figures are CON 35%(-3), LAB 30%(+1), LDEM 8%(+1), UKIP 16%(nc), GRN 4%(nc)."

 

I mean it's going in the right direction but...