Get Carter (Episode 25)
James Forsyth 1:31pm
I’m not sure how to describe on a family-friendly blog what people in the know say the mood in Downing Street is like. But Sam Coates has a great example of just how bitter things are over there and how tense relations are between Jeremy Heywood, permanent secretary at Number Ten, and Stephen Carter:
The new team around Carter, the old Brownites and the civil service all appear to be at war with each other. While this is the case, it is hard to see how Brown can get his footing back.On Friday morning, it escalated. There were sore heads all round after the expenses debacle - where was Gordon at the time of the vote? what were those meetings? - and all 200 staff gathered in Downing Street, where they were addressed by Mr Heywood.According to one witness, he began by saying: "I had hoped Stephen Carter could be here this morning, but he has got tickets to the semi finals at Wimbledon."
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Faceless Bureaucrat
July 7th, 2008 3:17pm Report this commentQuite why anyone ever thought that Carter and Co. would be met with a warm embrace (let alone support) by No.10's resident top-drawer political operators like Damian McBride has always been a mystery to me. Carter and his cronies are used to marketing 'Brands' and as I contiually bore Mrs. FB by stating, re-branding politicians or political parties is like trying to herd kittens. True Brands such as Coca Cola or McDonalds don't have minds of their own and simply exist - as such, the marketeers job is simply one of persuading the public to buy into the Brand. Unfortunately, politics brings a new challenge (or c*ck-up) every day, making long-term marketing strategies about as useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle. Carter was on a loser from the outset, but like most of his ilk, could not resist having his name attached to a high-profile client. I wonder what the Bookies are offering on Carter being out within the next 3 months?...
Ian C
July 7th, 2008 6:13pm Report this commentI think that was a 3rd wheel-nut coming off one of Brown's wheels.
John
July 7th, 2008 7:03pm Report this commentAmazingly, Simon Jenkins in the Sunday Times claims that the press and the public are totally unfair to the Great Leader, and that the only things that have happened to him in the last year are to do with the global economy and are outside his control and not his fault. I wonder where this silly scribbler has been in recent years.
Max Kaye
July 7th, 2008 9:55pm Report this commentJohn - I swore never to trust Simon Jenkins' opinion on anything ever since his enthusiastic support of the Millennium Dome.
Anyone who had any involvement in, or knowledge of, the project knew that it would be a disaster. (Just like Brown, come to think of it...)
John de Finchley
July 8th, 2008 3:02pm Report this commentWas it Forsyth or Fraser who, some months ago, warned of the formidable team Broon was assembling around himself in #10?
Priceless!
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