Rob Callister

[De nada]

17 minutes ago, Peter Layman said:

Not really, by voting, you are at least preventing the complete buffoons from getting in.

Problem there is that ALL the Onchan candidates were buffoons.

[Andy Onchan]

1 hour ago, slinkydevil said:

You're right. I'm writing to Rob to see if he can reimburse me out of expenses. Just put it down as a couple of cheap suits, a tie and some stamps.

You'll need to add a box of aspirin if the reimbursement is to be taken seriously! 

[Will Halsall]

1 hour ago, Andy Onchan said:

What was 'unforgiveable' Rob?

Andy, Rob specifically alludes to Alf’s behaviour to some MHK’s last week, which Rob (and I assume other MHK’s - Chris Thomas perhaps?) found unforgivable - it is a strong word.

To offer some balance here (and yes, I like Rob and know him reasonably well), I wonder if Alf is paving the way to become a megalomanic, arguably like his predecessors; it could be perceived at this very early stage that he is creating a divisive government. We have seen this behaviour with Bell and Quayle, where CoMin becomes an unchallengeable authority, and those back benches that the CM simply doesn’t like, or who challenge his decision making, are ostracised to the detriment of the isle. We don’t need to be sociologists to understand how misogynistic and authoritative Bell and Quayle appeared to be, and how it benefitted them to have incapable ministers (Cregeen for example) in the IOMG Politburo,  that in some instances appeared (and still do) to be mere votes to push through the CM’s own agenda.

Already Julie Edge is flexing her muscles and setting her stall out, stating how vocal she was over schools and Covid as a backbencher, and how she will sort the department out - a slight against Allinson’s tenure? Crookall has said that he won’t give a completion date for the prom. I am already miles ahead with this, you can see that it will drag on, Baker will be the scape goat, but little attention will be drawn to the officers that have failed on this project because they will wrap TC around their fingers, just like the last time (granted it was DCCL). Mrs PW is beefing herself up over what she brings as the Minister of Home Affairs (does this isle really need this as a single department?), suggesting that her experience as a ‘non-practicing’ solicitor (not sure what exactly that means, perhaps she did law at the college) will be important. Ashford is looking forward to rebalancing, recovering and diversifying the economy, and enjoyed his time at DHSC. The reality is that if DA had been, or even had appeared to have been a successful DHSC Minister, he would have been kept in that position. On the DHSC subject, I will be surprised if Hooper lasts the distance, I think he might well get knocked out in the 2nd round.

I sincerely hope that Alf doesn’t start enforcing collective responsibility, and that CoMin are far more open and transparent to the public importantly, and the media too. 

On the face of it, this doesn’t show Rob in a good light, having ‘respectfully declined’ the Post Office role, but I sincerely think there is more to this than meets the eye.

[Barlow]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

Unforgivable is a strange choice of word. 

Unforgiveable. As Noel said about Liam.

 

[Andy Onchan]

8 minutes ago, Will Halsall said:

I sincerely hope that Alf doesn’t start enforcing collective responsibility, and that CoMin are far more open and transparent to the public importantly, and the media too. 

On the face of it, this doesn’t show Rob in a good light, having ‘respectfully declined’ the Post Office role, but I sincerely think there is more to this than meets the eye.

First para - there's a common denominator with both the Bell and Quayle administrations....the Chief Secretary who, as we all know, is the defacto driver of these things. Collective responsibility makes it so much easier for the executive to manage the apparatus and their political masters (who really aren't their masters at all!). 

Second para -  I was rather hoping that RC would actually be the transparent one and let us all know what AC did to make it unforgivable. 

[Will Halsall]

1 minute ago, Andy Onchan said:

First para - there's a common denominator with both the Bell and Quayle administrations....the Chief Secretary who, as we all know, is the defacto driver of these things. Collective responsibility makes it so much easier for the executive to manage the apparatus and their political masters (who really aren't their masters at all!). 

Second para -  I was rather hoping that RC would actually be the transparent one and let us all know what AC did to make it unforgivable. 

a. I can’t argue with you.

b. I would like to know too.

[hissingsid]

I think Rob was disappointed and hurt that although he had supported Alf people who had not  had not got Ministerial positions and from a personal  point of view this is understandable it would feel like a betrayal.  However this is not a playground game with team captains choosing who will play on their side and the very reason that Alf chose the people who he thinks will be the best to head up departments as Ministers leaving personalities out of it makes him a very good choice as C.M.  hard nosed is good.    To answer Will’s question regarding J.P.W.  she studied law at Oxford then worked for a law firm in London before she joined Cain & co on return to the Island.   She specialises in Corporate Law and has travelled extensively fulfilling her post.  She gave up her employment on becoming a member of LegCo so she is very well suited to the post she has been given.

[SleepyJoe]

1 hour ago, Will Halsall said:

Ashford is looking forward to rebalancing, recovering and diversifying the economy

Has David "It's unaffordable" Ashford actually said this?

[Will Halsall]

10 minutes ago, hissingsid said:

I think Rob was disappointed and hurt that although he had supported Alf people who had not  had not got Ministerial positions and from a personal  point of view this is understandable it would feel like a betrayal.  However this is not a playground game with team captains choosing who will play on their side and the very reason that Alf chose the people who he thinks will be the best to head up departments as Ministers leaving personalities out of it makes him a very good choice as C.M.  hard nosed is good.    To answer Will’s question regarding J.P.W.  she studied law at Oxford then worked for a law firm in London before she joined Cain & co on return to the Island.   She specialises in Corporate Law and has travelled extensively fulfilling her post.  She gave up her employment on becoming a member of LegCo so she is very well suited to the post she has been given.

Cheers Sid,

JPW clarification after my flippant remark - thank you, I appreciate that.

Agreed, it isn’t a playground game, but I wasn’t a fly on the wall and because of that, I would like to know, as Andy asked, exactly why Rob feels that AC’s behaviour was unforgivable last week. I trust Rob personally, and I worry that Alf will continue in the same vein as his predecessor, I genuinely and sincerely hope I am wrong.

 

[Will Halsall]

3 minutes ago, SleepyJoe said:

Has David "It's unaffordable" Ashford actually said this?

Manx Radio on Saturday - it’s still on the website.

[Chef Raekwon]

Complete manchild

[2112]

48 minutes ago, hissingsid said:

I think Rob was disappointed and hurt that although he had supported Alf people who had not  had not got Ministerial positions and from a personal  point of view this is understandable it would feel like a betrayal.  However this is not a playground game with team captains choosing who will play on their side and the very reason that Alf chose the people who he thinks will be the best to head up departments as Ministers leaving personalities out of it makes him a very good choice as C.M.  hard nosed is good.    To answer Will’s question regarding J.P.W.  she studied law at Oxford then worked for a law firm in London before she joined Cain & co on return to the Island.   She specialises in Corporate Law and has travelled extensively fulfilling her post.  She gave up her employment on becoming a member of LegCo so she is very well suited to the post she has been given.

JPW specialised in Employment Law. 

[2112]

1 hour ago, Will Halsall said:

Andy, Rob specifically alludes to Alf’s behaviour to some MHK’s last week, which Rob (and I assume other MHK’s - Chris Thomas perhaps?) found unforgivable - it is a strong word.

To offer some balance here (and yes, I like Rob and know him reasonably well), I wonder if Alf is paving the way to become a megalomanic, arguably like his predecessors; it could be perceived at this very early stage that he is creating a divisive government. We have seen this behaviour with Bell and Quayle, where CoMin becomes an unchallengeable authority, and those back benches that the CM simply doesn’t like, or who challenge his decision making, are ostracised to the detriment of the isle. We don’t need to be sociologists to understand how misogynistic and authoritative Bell and Quayle appeared to be, and how it benefitted them to have incapable ministers (Cregeen for example) in the IOMG Politburo,  that in some instances appeared (and still do) to be mere votes to push through the CM’s own agenda.

Already Julie Edge is flexing her muscles and setting her stall out, stating how vocal she was over schools and Covid as a backbencher, and how she will sort the department out - a slight against Allinson’s tenure? Crookall has said that he won’t give a completion date for the prom. I am already miles ahead with this, you can see that it will drag on, Baker will be the scape goat, but little attention will be drawn to the officers that have failed on this project because they will wrap TC around their fingers, just like the last time (granted it was DCCL). Mrs PW is beefing herself up over what she brings as the Minister of Home Affairs (does this isle really need this as a single department?), suggesting that her experience as a ‘non-practicing’ solicitor (not sure what exactly that means, perhaps she did law at the college) will be important. Ashford is looking forward to rebalancing, recovering and diversifying the economy, and enjoyed his time at DHSC. The reality is that if DA had been, or even had appeared to have been a successful DHSC Minister, he would have been kept in that position. On the DHSC subject, I will be surprised if Hooper lasts the distance, I think he might well get knocked out in the 2nd round.

I sincerely hope that Alf doesn’t start enforcing collective responsibility, and that CoMin are far more open and transparent to the public importantly, and the media too. 

On the face of it, this doesn’t show Rob in a good light, having ‘respectfully declined’ the Post Office role, but I sincerely think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Diversifying the Economy - creating loss leading sectors, whilst giving it large handouts and claiming of all the jobs it will create. Film Industry/Cinemanx/Media Fund?

Rebalancing - taxing the life out of people to get extra revenue. 
 

Whilst you have a point and argument against Collective Responsibility, I would say that if there are disagreements, then COMIN will grind to a halt, inertia and stagnation. What will get through with everyone agreeing?

[SleepyJoe]

They're working on a policy collection that everyone will have to sign up to I guess

[2112]

10 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

It’s only understandable if you are self entitled and think that people won’t be rewarded on merit but would be rewarded on bought for support. So really the language to me is worrying to day the least. It’s like “I voted for you and I got nothing in return” which sort of suggests that the only reason why you voted for someone was that you didn’t think they were really the best candidate but you expected something in return for voting for them anyway.

RC in the cold light of day, would have been better spoiling his ballot for CM. Chris Thomas and John Wannaburgh did, CT got chair of a Board (Stiff), and no doubt JW will get a departmental membership at the gift of the CM. Besides JW is a new MHK so has a chance to redeem himself.

I would say now RC has zero chance of anything until 2026, unless a miracle happens. He will be like a pariah, except in Onchan.