Sunday 21 February 2010

Update on Mrs Pratt of the National Bullying Helpline



Since my last post a short time ago, there have been comments regarding the National Bullying Helpline which I consider deserve mentioning.

Firstly Andrew Reeves brought the matter of confidentiality to the fore.  I considered, under the circumstances confidentiality may not have been breached, but perhaps I decided rather too promptly.

Very recently Lawrence Mills tweeted asking me if I'd seen this.  I hadn't then but I have now. Thank you Lawrence.  It is a blog dedicated to experiences of the National Bullying Helpline which declares itself a registered charity but appears to be closely associated with a commercial business called HR & Diversity Management.  Please do have a look at it and make up your own mind.

Mrs Pratt may not be as reliable a source of information as I suggested in my initial post.  If that is the case then she destroys her credibility regarding her statements to do with No 10, even though they may be truthful.

Update 23.50:  Another blogger's look at the National Bullying Helpline.

12 comments:

Alan W said...

Interesting.

But what's been really funny has been the knee jerk reaction of Labour supporters who have rushed to justify his alleged bullying. They've been quick to dismiss it whilst keen to poo poo the whistleblower.

It's this myopic, "my party right or wrong" attitude that poisons the body politic in Britain

subrosa said...

The woman's information may be true Alan but she's shot herself in the foot the way she's handled it.

It was an eye-opener the way they're all clinging into their jobs by their fingernails today right enough.

Debate is Free said...

Something a bit sus at the NBH. Late both filing at Companies house and with the charity regulator. Dodgy "investigations" into bullying and a bit too close to certain Tories to remain neutral.

subrosa said...

Aye DiS, it's all coming out of the woodwork now about the charity. That's the pleasure of blogging, if you're wrong then others are pleased to help you.

My first post was just after I heard her on Sky but the update shows the start of her downfall, thus invalidating her words.

Debate is Free said...

Not sure I like the whole breaking confidentiality clause either. It smacks of a PR move rather than out of concern for those being bullied.

Jess The Dog said...

They are as legitimate as the government requires anyway....recommended by HSE and by Mandelson's own department (as Nick Robinson points out).

Also, if this had been an issue of racial or sexual harassment, there would be no such doubt about the duty on a whistleblower to speak out.

subrosa said...

I checked out her site before my first post DiF. She says there she doesn't use any material without the consent of the person (or words to that effect). As I replied to Andrew I assumed she had cleared it with those concerned before going so public.

Methinks she won't be a charity much longer, especially since she hasn't put forward any accounts for a lengthy time.

subrosa said...

I'm not saying it's not a legitimate charity Jess, they're registered as you say.

That's an interesting piece of information. Didn't know that. Thanks.

Clarinda said...

True or false - what an embarrasment for the UK to have the institution of our highest political office reduced to a gutter punch-up. Just how much worse is t possible to get? The Labour Party MPs must be thrilled to bits that they didn't take the opportunity to oust Gordon Brown a few weeks ago - were they bullied into keeping him?

Even given the bad odour of the expenses scandal - surely the number of lab-rats fleeing the imminent wreck is unprecedented?
Not exactly an irresistable advert for reigniting respect for political office or working in one. Wee Dougie Alexander is perhaps being proved correct in his observation of Mr Brown's charisma deficit.

The theoretical jockeying for the next Labour leadership must be red-hot - but would the Lord of Allsorts be willing to lower his esteemed self to mix with the standard classes in the House of Commons?

subrosa said...

It's a disgrace really Clarinda. We should be discussing the various policies but of course labour and the tories have none.

Strangely enough I was trying to find out if there had been an evacuation previously from the Commons on this scale.

Mandy may well slink off to his pal's yacht. Isn't he pally with the Rothschilds?

Allan said...

Lance Price, the former spin doctor this morning raised the possability that these calls may be hoaxes. Given the propensity of certain right wing bloggers to paint Brown as "The Prime Mentalist", there is clearly some sort of narative at play here, designed to paint Brown as seriously unstable and unsuitable for high office. Its all a bit too neat if you ask me.

Interestingly the former Daily Record columnist Tom Brown talked about the heated atmosphere of working in a newspaper atmosphere. Who do you think has experience of this kind of atmosphere on the Tories side, and has faced their own allegations about creating their own atmosphere of bullying and intimidation, not to mention his record for getting out of appearing before the PCC?

subrosa said...

They may be hoaxes Allan, but I do know people who knew Brown in his uni days and he had social problems then. It's very well known in certain circles in Scotland.

This is about Brown not about the inadequacies of the tories. I'll deal with those at a later date.

Allan, many years ago I used to respecr Gordon Brown. It takes some serious matters to push me from such a fixed opinion.

Then, just prior to the Iraq war he was nowhere to be seen and didn't give any public support of the war. Next he plundered my pension, something I'd saved for 30 years and is more of less worthless now. I've used most of my savings to keep my home now and in the not too distance future I'll have to sell up and live in a box. I saved all these years to avoid that.

Don't think this won't happen to your generation because it's too far away for you. I suggest nobody saves in this country any more but looks further afield.

The man is no socialist and can't call himself one. He's done nothing for those who don't work or can't get work. Nothing at all.

No, he has problems. He only sees his future as a great prime minister. Along with Tony Blair, who blew his chances with his handling of the Iraq situation, Gordon Brown has blown his with his handling of the whole country. Even worse than Blair because still civilians and our military are being killed on a regular basis.

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