Failing Grayling Back In a Job (or not!) - Chairmanship of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee

[PHILIPE]

Independent

A succession of botched reforms to the probation service and courts, a few major crises on the railways, and his award of a Brexit ferry contract to a firm with, erm, no ferries have somehow failed to alter the perception of the man. Planned relaunches as Chris “Effective” Grayling, Chris “Master of the Whitehall Machine” Grayling or Chris “Bullet Train” Grayling never took off. Some of his own colleagues on the Conservative benches are rumoured - purely out of jealousy, no doubt - to have misgivings about his judgement.
The ferry fiasco, for example, cost taxpayers at least £33m because of the way it was mishandled by the then transport secretary, true enough, yet no-one seems to want to give him any thanks for what he has achieved for Britain. After all, he was Theresa May’s leadership campaign manager, you know (though it’s fair to add that after her rivals rapidly imploded there wasn’t much of an actual campaign left for Chris to mismanage, and with no other candidates she was going to win).
Will the facile mockery of this dedicated public servant never end? Will the mystery of why "Failing" Grayling was mysteriously returned to the backbenches ever be solved? What shadowy forces are at work?
Now we learn that Grayling is going to be put in charge of the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee. This body meets in secret and oversees the most sensitive activities of our spies. It is vital to the pursuit of British interests at home and abroad. Our intelligence agencies are engaged in a struggle against deadly terrorists at home and abroad; rogue states equipped with chemical and other weapons of mass destruction; superpowers such as China intent on extending their technological hegemony; and the various formal and informal arms of the Russian secret services and the fun the FSB like to have with Novichok and our elections.

He's back in a job

 

[Harpers Tate]

Coming soon to a high street near you

 

[thejuggler]

The bonus of this is he drops the ball so often he is likely to send an email with the unredacted report to everybody!

 

[Senex]

The British system really does look after its own, doesn't it?

 

[John Hunt]

Surely this is a red herring?
Somewhere else, there must be a really large amount of the proverbial about to hit the fan....

 

[PHILIPE]

Surely this is a red herring?
Somewhere else, there must be a really large amount of the proverbial about to hit the fan....

It has started to hit the fan with widespread complaints about such an appointment. Dominic Grieve has accused No 10, who announced CG as their preferred choice, of politicising the issue and should accept that MPs and the Committee decide on the Chairman.

 

[scotrail158713]

It feels a bit like football referees here
They could consistently have poor games but still end up getting a game the next weekend. Although for many leagues that’s because there’s a shortage. Whereas in Grayling’s case surely they could find someone else?

 

[Busaholic]

There used to be a radio comedy series called The Navy Lark, featuring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee and Ronnie Barker among others, and a recurrent joke was a telephone being answered 'Intelligence speaking' by the most gormless voice possible (Arthur Mullard would have been too classy for the role.) Can only imagine that Putin must have placemen in London as well as Washington DC.

 

[John Hunt]

Now would be a good time for Auntie Beeb to re-run 'Yes. Prime Minister'.

 

[Tetchytyke]

He must have some serious dirt on Boris, that's the only logical conclusion.

Either that or Cummings couldn't resist the joke of having Chris Grayling as head of intelligence.

 

[Senex]

He must have some serious dirt on Boris, that's the only logical conclusion.

Either that or Cummings couldn't resist the joke of having Chris Grayling as head of intelligence.

Another of several jokes he's made at the electorate's expense!

It's another example—and there have been a good few since Johnson took power—of how the British "constitution" is completely unable to produce any checks and balances when you have a prime minister (and his adviser) set on getting their own way, a governing party with a large majority, and a party discipline system (or is it just a good old-fashioned lust for preferment system?) that means that the MPs of that governing party, who are the only people who could check it, are unwilling to do anything but toe the party line. There have been examples in other countries in the past of where such a set-up can lead.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

This is now getting way beyond parody.

Now would be a good time for Auntie Beeb to re-run 'Yes. Prime Minister'.

Precisely - especially the episode where Sir Humphrey plotted to make Yes Minister into Yes Prime Minister.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

He's back in a job

To use good old British slang aka "extracting the urine" aka taking the p---

 

[306024]

Precisely - especially the episode where Sir Humphrey plotted to make Yes Minister into Yes Prime Minister.

He must have had “absolutely no ambition in that direction” to land that job.

 

[John Hunt]

(slight digression) Margaret Thatcher was a fan of 'Yes, Prime Minister'

Speech (and sketch) for BBC1 Yes, Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher Foundation

www.margaretthatcher.org

 

[alex397]

It’s no wonder so many people have very little trust in government.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

There used to be a radio comedy series called The Navy Lark, featuring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee and Ronnie Barker among others, and a recurrent joke was a telephone being answered 'Intelligence speaking' by the most gormless voice possible (Arthur Mullard would have been too classy for the role.)

Was that Commander Crabtree? His speech was incomprehensible!

 

[317 forever]

He must have some serious dirt on Boris, that's the only logical conclusion.

Either that or Cummings couldn't resist the joke of having Chris Grayling as head of intelligence.

I would not even have expected to see Grayling and intelligence in the same sentence.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Now would be a good time for Auntie Beeb to re-run 'Yes. Prime Minister'.

BBC Radio 4 Extra currently re-running "Yes Minister" on Thursdays at 8.30 a.m., repeated at 12.30 p.m. and again at 7.30 p.m.

 

[philjo]

Just heard on Radio 4 that MPs have voted for Julian Lewis to be chair instead of Chris Grayling.

 

[eMeS]

Just heard on Radio 4 that MPs have voted for Julian Lewis to be chair instead of Chris Grayling.

That's a relief - even though I know nothing about a J Lewis MP!

 

[MotCO]

Just heard on Radio 4 that MPs have voted for Julian Lewis to be chair instead of Chris Grayling.

And the Tory High Command are not happy! The new Chairman has lost the Whip.

 

[John Hunt]

LOL. Maybe we'll hear more later.

 

[ainsworth74]

And the Tory High Command are not happy! The new Chairman has lost the Whip.

Well of course. Julian Lewis is actually qualified for the job! Can't have any dangerous ideas like that.

 

[Sceptre]

It's pretty impressive, and totally on form for Grayling, to manage to lose an election that was rigged in his favour.

 

[John Hunt]

I've had a phone call from a friend that there is something about a tweet from Kuenssberg. I don't do twitter. I'll wait for something a bit more concrete. (and I don't mean boots for CG )

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Just heard on Radio 4 that MPs have voted for Julian Lewis to be chair instead of Chris Grayling.

Best news I have heard in a while.

That's a relief - even though I know nothing about a J Lewis MP!

I absolutely agree

Well of course. Julian Lewis is actually qualified for the job! Can't have any dangerous ideas like that.

ROTFLOL

It's pretty impressive, and totally on form for Grayling, to manage to lose an election that was rigged in his favour.

Yes, impressive even by his standards!

 

[nr758123]

Just heard on Radio 4 that MPs have voted for Julian Lewis to be chair instead of Chris Grayling.

Maybe Grayling voted for the wrong person by mistake.

 

[ainsworth74]

I've had a phone call from a friend that there is something about a tweet from Kuenssberg. I don't do twitter. I'll wait for something a bit more concrete. (and I don't mean boots for CG )

No Twitter necessary now:

Russia report: New intelligence committee chair loses Tory whip

Tory MP Julian Lewis beats Chris Grayling to win the position, but loses his place in the parliamentary party.

www.bbc.co.uk

Conservative MP Julian Lewis has been kicked out of the Conservative parliamentary party after beating Chris Grayling to become chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee.

Believed to be No 10's preferred choice, Mr Grayling was widely expected to get the role.

But concerns had been raised that the body's impartiality could be undermined, and MPs backed Mr Lewis.

The committee scrutinises the work of the intelligence and security services.

A senior government source told the BBC that Mr Lewis "has been told by the chief whip that it is because he worked with Labour and other opposition MPs for his own advantage".

...

 

[John Hunt]

LOL - So will Mr Lewis be having a fitting for concrete boots?