It looks as though 'Philip the Pillock' Hammond's first great entry onto the stage of history started with a pratfall - ohdearwhatapitynevermind! You have to ask why nobody noticed that 'Dim Dave's' injunction against any rise in taxation was still operative. I think, and I know I am being unusually, even excessively, sympathetic, that there might be some slight excuse for the PM who has other great matters of State on her mind but there is no excuse for 'Spreadsheet' Phil who is supposed to be a millionaire master of financial detail and who was in the Cabinet when 'Dave' made his daft promise.
However, there is no excuse at all for all those jumped up little SPADs who are paid handsomely to keep one step ahead of their masters and mistresses in order to clear the dog turds before the high and the mighty step on them. According to the 'prints', these SPADs, particularly the two who operate behind the skirts of 'St. Theresa of May', are enormously powerful to the extent that even Cabinet ministers cringe when they pass. So where were they when they were needed?
To be fair - not a practice we encourage here at D&N - it could be that their bosses were warned but chose to ignore it. Perhaps they thought we, the plebs, would not notice. Big mistake! Anyway, I'm off today to meet up with 'SoD' to buy him lunch to celebrate his birthday. He, of course, being self-employed, is one of the victims of cruel Toryism so I expect a fairly non-stop moan 'n' groan. Still, at least he might give Brexit a rest!
(For the benefit of my foreign readers, 'SPAD' means Special Advisor.)
Thought it might mean Sly, Poisonous and Duplicitous but then it may be as you say Duffers.
Posted by: AussieD | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 09:24
Obviously, AussieD, you were an encryptologist!
Posted by: David Duff | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 10:13
Good point, DD. One also wonders what his civil servants were doing. Most modern political biographies involve a politician complaining that his departmental civil servants are constantly frustrating him by pointing out things like practicalities, manifesto promises, and likely outcomes.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 10:27
You are going to buy SoD some lunch? For all the good help he gave you, please make it a bit more than soup and toast! Happy birthday SoD!
Posted by: Whitewall | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 12:59
As someone who is (semi)self-employed, I am firmly on Lawrence's side over this. This was what you might call an unforced error by the Bean-Counter General (aka Philip Hammond.) P.S. If memory serves, he was every bit as disastrous as Minister of Defence!
Posted by: Richard | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 13:16
Personally, I think May and Hammond were caught by the Treasury civil servants desire to do something. Anything. How much better to have said, as we are having another budget in November, lets give this one a miss. Even now, they could say we'll put it all on hold and have a re-think before the November budget.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 13:53
How about this SPAD:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-09/nigel-farage-visits-julian-assange-ecuadorian-embassy-london
Is Farage a flunky for Trump, Assange, Putin or some combination?
Posted by: Bob | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 21:04
Purim sameach TBH
Posted by: AussieD | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 08:30
Neither, Bob, I suspect that 'our Nige' is always and forever a SPAD to 'our Nige'! Not, mind you, that he doesn't deserve the thanks of a grateful nation for providing us with a chance break out of the Mafia family running Europe!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 08:31
Purim sameach, AD.
Despite the Norse and Celtic origins of our Y-chromosome DNA,
I take it we are the token Juice at D&N :)
Got milk, schmatte Kopf?
... and fuck the horse
you rode in on.
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 09:27
Never thought of myself as a "token" but some one has to lift the tone TBH so it may as well be you and I. Education is often not the lot of the sons of the prophet as evidenced by your attached photo.
Posted by: AussieD | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 10:42
Well, we need a bit of class round here, Jewish or otherwise!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 12:55
Class you say? Where is JK when I need him?
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 13:48
I have it on very good authority that JK is on a deep meditation week with his 'good ol' buddy', Barney Magroo. Need I say more?
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 14:11
David,
"...'our Nige' is always and forever a SPAD to 'our Nige'!"
In other words, "Noting to see here. Move along."
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 12 March 2017 at 20:12