Posts Tagged ‘Sir Gus O’Donnell’

How much does the government love the NHS?

11/04/2011, 10:35:33 AM

In an attempt to save themselves from the hands of voters, nurses, Norman Lamb, the BMA… Cameron, Lansley and Clegg have begun a desperate “listening exercise”. Just in case the cynical public weren’t sure they were really listening -and began to question if they really could trust big Dave with the NHS – they’ve published a pamphlet alongside the photo calls: Working together for a stronger NHS.

And just to make absolutely certain we didn’t get confused into thinking their rushed, ill thought out reforms were ideologically driven, the introduction tells us that they “love” the NHS. Four times. Four. That’s how much they love it.

“We love the NHS. The NHS is our most precious national asset. Every second hundreds of people walk through its doors. Every week it saves thousands of lives. Every year millions of us rely on it. We love the NHS because its there when the people we love fall ill. Because its there all the time. Because whoever you are, wherever you are from, however much money you have got in the bank, theres somewhere to go to get looked after. And because that says amazing things about our country. That’s why we love the NHS”

John Healey has written to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O’Donnell, to question the political nature of the cringe worthy photo calls and the “synthetic sentimentalism” of the  sickening love letter.

John Healey – Gus O’Donnell

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Who the hell does Gus O’Donnell think he is?

11/04/2011, 08:06:21 AM

by Tom Harris

Revelations that head of the civil service, Sir Gus O’Donnell, blocked a judicial inquiry into allegations of phone hacking by the News of the World, prompts the urgent question: who the hell does he think he is?

According to the Guardian, O’Donnell considered that by the autumn of 2009, the general election was imminent and therefore an inquiry would be too politically sensitive, given that former News of the World editor, Andy Coulson, was now spinning for David Cameron.

Well, so what? If something is so serious that it warrants investigation, then it should be investigated, irrespective of the political timetable. In fact, the proximity of Coulson to power at that point should have made an inquiry more imperative, not less. (more…)

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Jon Trickett writes to cabinet sec for answers on Stunell

13/01/2011, 07:39:54 PM

Jon Trickett MP

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Sir Gus O’Donnell

Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Office

70 Whitehall

London

SW1A 2AS

13 January 2011

Dear Sir Gus,

RE: Andrew Stunell MP

Thank you for your email dated 12 January in response to my query about Andrew Stunell MP’s conduct during the Oldham and Saddleworth by-election campaign.

You outline in your response that you “understand that he (Andrew Stunell) did not refer to the planned funding announcement during the visit”.

In the middle of a key by-election prompted by a Liberal Democrat court action and pursuant to a Liberal Democrat writ, this statement defies credulity.

Are you seriously suggesting that Andrew Stunell visited an empty property in Oldham on 8 January and made no reference to a planned funding announcement two days later about bringing empty homes back into use during his visit? (more…)

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Snapper and film maker u-turn, what about the rest of them? Tom Watson wants answers

16/11/2010, 01:42:10 PM

TWSirGus

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Cabinet Sec goes into bat over vanity snapper – at same time Cameron makes U-turn

16/11/2010, 11:25:15 AM

SirGus-TW

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Cabinet Secretary says it’s ok for Cameron to hire army of political vanity staff as civil servants

13/11/2010, 10:22:32 AM

DugherGus

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Michael Dugher’s letter to Sir Gus O’Donnell over Cameron’s private snapper

04/11/2010, 12:22:08 PM

Dugher Letter

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Cameron’s taxpayer-funded personal photographer. MP writes to Sir Gus O’Donnell for answers

03/11/2010, 08:00:23 AM

David Cameron has got his priorities right. At a time of national hardship, with the public purse squeezed until the pips beg for mercy, where does our PM elect to splash the cash?

Save a nurse? Reprieve a teacher? Keep a copper?

No. According to yesterday’s Mirror he has decided to bring his personal photographer onto the government payroll. Andrew Parsons, the snapper who gave us the tasteful, moving and entirely non-exploitative photos of Cam in the Westminster poppy garden, will henceforth being receiving his cheque direct from the exchequer.

Across the land, grateful Brits are breathing sighs of relief.

“I may be about to lose my child benefit, but at least the relaxed yet intimate portrait of David and Samantha preparing their Sunday roast is safe”, said one.

“My son in Afghanistan may not get a proper flak jacket. But the black and white shots of the prime minister looking statesmanlike while on the phone to the finance minister of Burundi will be a morale booster”, said another.

The good news doesn’t end there. According to Downing Street, Mr Parsons, “will work for the cabinet office, not just the PM”. The current minister for the cabinet office is Francis Maude.  OK! and Hello! wait with bated breath.

Tom Watson MP has written to the cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O’ Donnell, for answers.

(If you can’t see the viewer below, the plain text version is here)

Letter to Sir Gus O’Donnell

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