Ah well, I guess it had to happen. Someone has kindly furnished the Mail on Sunday with the 2006 notes I gave to my office civil servants to prepare them for the shock of their workaholic new minister and his rather extensive list of faults and foibles. It’s been a while since I’ve read the Mail on Sunday, but I’m guessing that they’ll have some well-justified fun at my expense. In these matters it is always best to remember Gerald Ford’s aphorism to take your job seriously, but never yourself. And as my wife commented, if they think that’s bad, they should see the note for ‘Living with Liam Byrne’….(that’s a joke)
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Not sure I approve of leaving lunch till 1.30, though! I’d get back to the old days.
Take no notice, minister. It’s press tittle tattle. By the way, what’s a Gantt chart?
Ah well……what was that about a grid?
Personally I think it sounded like a great document. The two things which made me think it was a nice document was the fact you admitted to being addicted to coffee (always a good thing) and demanding time to spend with your family. Always an admirable quality. If the MoS picks faults, that’s their problem, not yours.
Crikey, I thought you were fairly easy to please – if that were me, I would be insisting on cups of tea at least hourly – and if they weren’t made properly they would have to be made again…
Some of the notes to staff were a bit condescending though – although I can see the point of clear communication.
Maybe you should start a ‘work your proper hours’ initiative to go with your ‘zero tolerance of litter’ – this is becoming a very family un-friendly society.
Remember, and keep repeating, ‘There is no such thing as bad publicity’.. Just look at Old Sergeant..
Nicely judged response.
Please give serious consideration to switching to decaf.