The reason given by the Home Secretary for sacking David Nutt was the
media coverage of a leaflet which was considered to be "lobbying for a
change of government policy":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/10/nutt_gets_the
_sack.html
Prof Nutt's leaflet stated: "When we look at the discussion that we had
about ecstasy (where the ACMD recommended class B (Nutt et al., 2009)
and the government maintained it as A), I think there's very little
doubt that we, the scientists, won the intellectual argument, but we
obviously didn't win the decision in terms of classification."
http://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/opus1714/Estimating_drug_harms.pdf
We can speculate about what other factors contributed to the Home
Secretary's decision to ask Prof Nutt to step down.
I would be interested in whether any experts in risk communication think
Prof Nutt's earlier comparison of the risks of taking ecstasy and
horse-riding was a good example of how to communicate - I have heard him
talk a few times and have never been particularly convinced that he has
much expertise in risk communication and perception.
I'm not sure that Prof Nutt's case is very relevant to John Beddington's
comments - if he was being leant on by the Government, why did the FCO
recommend that British nationals should consider leaving Tokyo, even
though that has never been Sir John's advice? If anything, would he not
have come under pressure to justify the FCO's advice?
Bob Ward
Policy and Communications Director
Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
London School of Economics and Political Science
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
http://www.lse.ac.uk/grantham
Tel. +44 (0) 20 7106 1236
Mob. +44 (0) 7811 320346
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sallie Robins
Sent: 22 March 2011 09:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] British journalists spiralling out of control -
hysteria sweeps across newsrooms
I think you mean David Nutt - who was referring to risks of ecstasy less
than those of horse riding ...Science Media Centre have done quite a bit
of
work with him and surrounding his departure and if I remember rightly
the
departure of many of the others on the drugs advisory body.
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Kenward
Sent: 21 March 2011 22:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] British journalists spiralling out of control -
hysteria sweeps across newsrooms
Then there is the history of chief scientific advisors (CSAs) being told
to
"shut up".
I seem to recall that Sir/Lord/St Bob May, someone probably well known
to
Bob Ward, has come out in public about his own experiences in the
corridors
of power.
Other CSAs have also made similar observations, albeit, in one case at
least, over a glass or two of malt rather than on the record.
The idea that Sir John Beddington happily casts discretion to the winds
is
nice, but unlikely, if only because the recruitment process would
eliminate
mavericks.
Remind me, who was the advisor who they fired for making uncomfortable
comments about the safety of horse riding? Not a CSA, I admit, but a
scientists offering advice to government.
Then again, throwing around gratuitous insults doesn't help the debate
either.
MK
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of richard robinson
Sent: 21 March 2011 14:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] British journalists spiralling out of control -
hysteria sweeps across newsrooms
Mr Ward.
Stop shouting. Stop bullying. Stop calling for evidence, meaning
autographed
transcripts of statements, when you know there won't be any. The
evidence
you want is in the history books. Fudging uncomfortable facts is how
governments work , and always have. That's how government advisers tilt,
and
always have. Government employees must be scrutinised carefully, without
people shouting down the scrutinisers. That's why it's vital for
democracy
that you stop throwing your weight about on this site. Go cry to the
Daily
Mail.
Richard Robinson
Brighton Science Festival
On 21 Mar 2011, at 09:33, Robert Ward wrote:
> Bill, within your insulting attack on the integrity of Sir John
> Beddington is your claim that his comments "were revised as the crisis
> escalated and came more in line with what many others were reporting."
>
> Where is your evidence to support this claim?
>
> I gave a link to his comments on 15 March, in which he pointed out
that
> the Chernobyl reactor was very different in design to those at the
> Fukushima plant, so assessments of the risks needed to take that into
> account.
>
> So why don't you stop regurgitating anti-nuclear rhetoric and simply
> provide some evidence to justify your amazing claims?
>
> Bob Ward
>
> Policy and Communications Director
> Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
> London School of Economics and Political Science
> Houghton Street
> London WC2A 2AE
>
> http://www.lse.ac.uk/grantham
>
> Tel. +44 (0) 20 7106 1236
> Mob. +44 (0) 7811 320346
> -----Original Message-----
> From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bill O'Neill
> Sent: 21 March 2011 06:10
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] British journalists spiralling out of control
-
> hysteria sweeps across newsrooms
>
> sadly, sorry to disappointment, but that ain't necessarily so -
although
> it is a handy distraction from the point i've
> been trying to make, regarding vested interests...
>
> as i recall, beddington's comments (or the comments reported to him)
> came late and contrasted in tenor with official
> pronouncements from japan, the us and elsewhere, until they were
revised
> as the crisis escalated and came more in line
> with what many others were reporting...
>
> this is evidence of caution, or optimism, or incompetence, or
> impracticalities, or pressure, or something else, or a
> mixture...i assumed pressure because, i guess, some experience of the
> chernobyl aftermath had prepared me for the worst,
> and because, i guess, i'd heard comments from a minister - "this won't
> affect our decision on nuclear power - such
> decisions are not taken over a matter of days"- and from an industry
> chief - "this doesn't mean there's a problem with
> nuclear power - the accident will improve reactor/station designs" -
> (all paraphased)...my assumption wasn't an attack
> on beddington, just simply reflecting the way the world works...
>
> in the end, the messenger brings the message and the message brings
the
> vested interest... and chopping the head off the
> messenger still leaves a message with a vested interest. amen
>
>
>
> ============================================
> Original Message
>
> Bill, many thanks for confirming that your comments are not based on
any
> evidence!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 20 Mar 2011, at 15:27, "Bill O'Neill" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> apologies, only just picked up on this...
>>
>> my reference to beddington (chosen only because he was the source in
> the original contribution) was made in the context
>> of what i was proposing re: messenger/message - that his comments
> should be assessed, in my view, in the context of who
>> he is, who his paymasters/advisers are, his audience and so on...i
was
> not judging his honesty or knowledge, nor that of
>> his paymasters/advisers (how could i?) but, if you like, i was taking
> vested interests into account...equally, being
>> chief scientist doesn't make him the pope (infallible), or not in my
> view...
>>
>> i might add that i did find it slightly irksome that beddington's
> comments, which matched what the original contributor
>> wanted to hear, were held up as exemplary while those of others,
which
> didn't, were dismissed as hysteria, but that's
>> another issue...
>>
>> journalists (and scientists) are making such assessments every
> day...gauging one piece of evidence against another,
>> establishing extremes, then honing in on the truth (with any
> luck)...it's a long, tricky process, especially as
>> political, economic and social forces conspire to try to get their
own
> way...and deadlines don't help...
>>
>> to suggest that my comment on beddington amounts to a "slur" is daft
-
> and a typically extravagant response from a
>> lobbyist with one agenda, and with one worldview...
>>
>> ============================================
>> Original Message
>>
>> Wasn't the suggestion preceded by the words 'I assumed'? In other
> words, just a personal opinion albeit not
> complimentary.
>>
>> Carolyn
>>
>> On 18 Mar 2011, at 10:50, Francis Sedgemore wrote:
>>
>>> Questioning whether Beddington is giving his own, honest opinion, or
> that of the state he serves, is perfectly
>> legitimate. The evidence in my view points firmly to the former. We
> should be focusing on the content of the discussion,
>> and provocative interventions can help to do just that.
>>>
>>> Francis
>>>
>>> On 18/03/2011 10:39, Robert Ward wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I think the suggestion that the CSA's comments were the result of
> having
>>>> been "leant on" is a pretty offensive personal smear, particularly
> as it
>>>> is not supported by any evidence whatsoever. Perhaps the psci-com
> list
>>>> owner could take a views on whether the message is in breach of the
>>>> list's rules?
>>>>
>>>> Bob Ward
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dr Francis Sedgemore
>>> journalist and science writer
>>> www.sedgemore.com
>>>
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