Declan
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 00:34:07 -0000, you wrote:
>I take it from the silence on Hutton that most of you are as gobsmacked as I
>by the honourable's "conclusions" and the reactions of HMG and BBC to them.
Yes, Declan.
The recipe for influencing an independent official has been expounded
long ago in the 'Yes Minister' series.
If one is in government and needs to influence the outcome of an
independent process, then act as follows:
Select for known (privately expressed) biassed attitudes, or because
the target is known to want something the government has within its
gift in future, or because the target has something in his background
government knows he doesn't want revealed.
Carefully define a very narrow remit, stir the recipe well using the
most discreet indirect contacts, and you have a conclusion that sets
back the causes of democracy accountability and justice by many
years....
How smug can Alastair Campbell get without being vapourised by a bolt
of lightning???
Kind regards,
Paul
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