WRITTEN ON June 19th, 2008 BY Sir Bonar Neville-Kingdom GCMG KCVO AND STORED IN Uncategorized
Sir Bonar writes
I’m saddened by the news that Sir John Gieve is being cast aside by the Bank of England. John is a dear friend. I thought he performed splendidly at the highest levels of the Civil Service. “Fit for purpose” are the words that spring to mind. I was particularly impressed with his crisp dealing with those LSE troublemakers and their smug campaign against our ID System. Quick as a flash, John dashed off a sharp letter to Howard Davies at the LSE. That largely shut them up, as I recall. The steady progress of our original plans, of course, continues to prove that we were right and their politically-motivated “research” was quite wrong.I thought the NAO criticism of the Home Office’s financial management under John’s tenure was unwarranted. Poor old John Bourn was rather past it by then of course, and not without his own peccadilloes (as our leaks to Private Eye were able to tell the world). People simply do not realise quite what a complex organisation the Home Office is. It has terribly important work to do. To require it to spend all its time bean-counting would be indefensible. And why, in John’s immortal phrase, should be try to defend the indefensible?
All in all, a sad day for high-flying generalists. Our value is all too often underestimated, not just in the outside world but increasingly, I’m sorry to say, in Whitehall itself.
7 Responses to “A few words on Sir John Gieve”
Young man, I’ve never heard of you and I find your so called “Blogzilla of doooom”, which I have never read, facetious in tone and highly unimpressive.
I think you do Sir John a grave disservice in your remarks.
Furthermore, let us bear in mind that his recent responsibilities were for financial stability in this country. Given the extreme financial instability we now face, surely the experience he has gained in this role, coupled with his generalist skills are needed in this vital role now more than ever?
Some of the younger readers, Sir Bonar, may not be entirely au fait, may I suggest, respectfully, and … what was I saying … yes … not entirely otiose to provide chapter and verse:
A FINANCIAL shambles at the Home Office resulted in its accounting system producing figures showing transactions of more than £26 trillion: one and a half times higher than the GDP of the planet, according to a report published today …
Never quite understood why John wasn’t called in to clear up the mess when they spilt the soup at Lloyds of London …
But that is precisely my point, Mr Moses. The news media fret over a typographical error saying so many trillion when what is clearly meant was billion or million or whatever. Meanwhile we live in an unprecedented age of terror. Our public servants need unquestioning public support, not this sort of idle tittle-tattle.
On your other point, I wasn’t aware they served soup at Lloyds. Indeed, I have no idea what you are referring to and cannot therefore comment on Sir John’s suitablity or otherwise for any role in the matter.
I can however share with you that he plays a fine game of Bezique.
Call me God but there’s an iron fist in the Bonar glove, isn’t there. All John wanted to crown his achievements was President of the RHS and it was a Neville-Kingdom blackball that put paid to it. You’re a hard man, Sir, and all because he beat you at Bezique that day at the Serpentine. Ruthless. Now the poor man has to make do with First Sea Lord or Viceroy of b—-y India. Where’s he supposed to lunch in Portsmouth? Answer me that.
I wonder if there will still be civil servants by 2015 or maybe 2020 ?
Perhaps this would be a laudable aim for UK plc to rid ourselves of their midst
Remarkable that Gieve got away with the embarrassment of the government’s data-grabbing activities and the appalling financial mismanagement of the Home Office. The music didn’t stop until a fall-guy was required for Gordon Brown’s mistakes over financial regulation and Northern Rock. Shows you where this government’s priorities lie.