That's Torn It - New Defence SofS
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Selection selects, it does not train and it certainly does not graft likeability on where it does not exist.
Re-visit the text I quoted above for further insight
Re-visit the text I quoted above for further insight
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
On the other hand I also worked in uniform with Andrew Robathan who I rate highly. He had and still has a sense of humour, a genuine desire to serve as a politician and would easily pass the "would I like to share a pint with the guy" test. I'm sure most Ppruners would feel the same once they met him.
AA, I agree about AR, isn't it nice to see a Minister with a background that HMforces personnel can actually relate to - rather than some pen-sucking, rubber-necked, blotter-jotter with a PPE degree and a few years in a think-tank.
Here is AR inspecting the troops at a passing out parade:
500N - keeping up as well I can!
LJ
PS. Just noted that the Parade Cdr is sporting a very unfortunate moustache (or its a dark window sill!).
Here is AR inspecting the troops at a passing out parade:
500N - keeping up as well I can!
LJ
PS. Just noted that the Parade Cdr is sporting a very unfortunate moustache (or its a dark window sill!).
From Total Politics magazine:
So, seeing as we have someone who seems to 'get' HMForces, and now with JB in post as well. Does this mean that the new SoS has the expertise in his Team to be able to do a better job?
I live in hope (although it would be nice to have a military-experienced person as SoS - it's a bit like having a non-economist as the Chancellor!).
LJ
Andrew Robathan is a stickler for discipline and rules. He is every bit the military man and has endured his fair share of coming under fire, from the frontline in the House of Commons to the Gulf War.
The minister for defence personnel, welfare and veterans boasts an impressive CV of military experience. He studied at Sandhurst and Camberley before becoming an officer in the Coldstream Guards and the Special Air Service.
He also had a one-year stint working for BP before returning to the army as chief of staff of the Prisoner of War Guard Force for Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait in the First Gulf War.
Robathan was appointed a defence minister after the birth of the coalition government, and became the first MP with a military background to be placed in the post in the past 13 years.
As the minister responsible for veterans’ welfare, Robathan’s priorities have included tackling mental illness within the armed forces, literacy training and providing support for service families.
In a recent written answer, he announced that the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health will be collaborating to improve mental healthcare provisions for serving and ex-service personnel and their families to help them understand mental illness.
This has included Enhanced Medical Health Assessments, which allow forces personnel with mental illnesses to access military mental-health facilities, a 24-hour helpline, a Veterans Information Service, and an online mental-health portal for the armed forces, called the Big White Wall.
Robathan also played a key role in overseeing the Armed Forces Bill last year, which called for the Military Covenant (the nation’s promise to look after troops in return for their services to the country) to be made law, and he also signed an agreement with the US to continue to support the armed forces, veterans and their families.
While in opposition, he also called on the government to bring changes to the UK’s voting laws to make it easier for serving troops to vote in general elections.
He once said: “I firmly believe the government didn’t want people in the armed forces voting because of the large numbers who wouldn’t vote Labour. The government dragged its heels deliberately.”
The minister for defence personnel, welfare and veterans boasts an impressive CV of military experience. He studied at Sandhurst and Camberley before becoming an officer in the Coldstream Guards and the Special Air Service.
He also had a one-year stint working for BP before returning to the army as chief of staff of the Prisoner of War Guard Force for Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait in the First Gulf War.
Robathan was appointed a defence minister after the birth of the coalition government, and became the first MP with a military background to be placed in the post in the past 13 years.
As the minister responsible for veterans’ welfare, Robathan’s priorities have included tackling mental illness within the armed forces, literacy training and providing support for service families.
In a recent written answer, he announced that the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health will be collaborating to improve mental healthcare provisions for serving and ex-service personnel and their families to help them understand mental illness.
This has included Enhanced Medical Health Assessments, which allow forces personnel with mental illnesses to access military mental-health facilities, a 24-hour helpline, a Veterans Information Service, and an online mental-health portal for the armed forces, called the Big White Wall.
Robathan also played a key role in overseeing the Armed Forces Bill last year, which called for the Military Covenant (the nation’s promise to look after troops in return for their services to the country) to be made law, and he also signed an agreement with the US to continue to support the armed forces, veterans and their families.
While in opposition, he also called on the government to bring changes to the UK’s voting laws to make it easier for serving troops to vote in general elections.
He once said: “I firmly believe the government didn’t want people in the armed forces voting because of the large numbers who wouldn’t vote Labour. The government dragged its heels deliberately.”
I live in hope (although it would be nice to have a military-experienced person as SoS - it's a bit like having a non-economist as the Chancellor!).
LJ
Estelle Morris does not count as a suitable teacher to act as Ed Sec. As a PE teacher and then Head of Sixth Form, she would have prepared a grand total of zero pupils for public exams (certainly not A levels,and she failed her own A levels also). About the only decent thing she did was admit she wasn't up to it.
She is now a Lord (!?) and has doctorates from any number of left wing Uni's that you've never heard of.
She is now a Lord (!?) and has doctorates from any number of left wing Uni's that you've never heard of.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
Age: 59
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
and has doctorates from any number of left wing Uni's that you've never heard of.
Which mean stuff all.
BTW, I counted 5 of them
which for someone who hasn't donemuch in this world IMHO is a lot.
Lord, No, Baroness of Yardley.
