Today's Daily Post carries a story about the Cabinet meeting in Liverpool early next month, plus a rather po faced comment from Downing Street saying that when they have something to announce they will. Err.. this publicity stunt has been well telegraphed for several weeks now. The local voluntary sector network has been e mailing its members asking for nominations for individuals to come and meet ministers after the meeting (hardly a big secret then). I fully appreciate the need to keep venues secret but for goodness sake I can't see any reason why Downing Street can't confirm what thousands of e mail recipients already know.
I wonder what the purpose of such an "out of London" meeting can be. If government ministers truly want to visit Cities outside London they can. There is no need to move a whole meeting - plus all the officials. After all the inside of one room looks pretty much like the inside of another. From a purely PR point of view also I would have thought the benefits to Labour of ministerial visits are better if they are spread out (thereby achieving repetition) rather than all on one go. And I would expect opposition politicians to keep a good eye on any spending that appears party political rather than ministerial.
2 comments:
Do you have any idea of an agenda? I am particularly interested in questioning John Denham or David Lammy. Please get back to me if you have any details.
No details I am afraid. Any element of meeting people will be very controlled and the audience have, I understand, been carefully selected. Actually last night people had to pay for the chance to speak to anyone!!
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