From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Two interesting letters to the newspapers:
Dangerous ideologies
To The Independent
I was a civil servant from 1949 to 1984. Prior to 1979, we regarded our
function as assembling the facts, preparing for analysis, making a
recommendation, and then loyally implementing the minister's decision,
whatever it might be. From 1979 the culture changed. Our practices were
regarded as a waste of time: the Government knew what should be done and the
requirement was simply action. Decisions based upon analysis were accordingly
replaced by decisions based upon prejudices and obsessions.
As the BBC's former political editor John Cole perceptively put it in his
memoirs, political leaders 'must beware of an ideology... which turns into a
guide for life and absolves people from the bother of thinking'. The practice
grew of not telling senior ministers what they ought to know, but what they
wanted to hear.
The right hitherto exercised by senior professionals to speak out
independently on professional issues was curbed. The route to preferment was
sycophancy rather than objectivity. Did this culture contribute to the BSE
crisis? Does it still prevail?
Derek Smith, Sevenoaks, Kent
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Police state tactics
To The Times
What sort of state regime are we living under nowadays?
I do not have a TV set. For years I have been pestered by letters from the TV
Licensing Authority. Although I found it extremely insulting to have to deny
committing an offence for which there could be no possible evidence against
me, I have reluctantly completed their forms.
The final affront has just arrived in the form of a letter from their
customer services department stating:
"Some time ago you informed us that you did not use a television set at the
above address. We need to confirm there is no TV set and therefore an Enquiry
Officer will call round in the near future.
In other words, to ascertain whether or not I have been lying.
If the TV authority will not accept my written assurance, their officer is
presumably not going to accept my verbal confirmation when he or she appears
on my doorstep.
Are they going to arrive with a search warrant? If so, how can they attempt
to justify an application for one?
Martin R Davies, Leigh Woods, Bristol
THE WEEK 4 November 2000
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The first letter is an insight into the way governemnt has changed. The
writer refers to the BSE crisis but I'm sure we could think of several other
examples where John Coles warning would be appropriate.
The second letter raises the question: does anyone have a definitive lists of
exactly who does have a right of access to our homes?
Kenneth Pantling
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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