The Palace Pulls Up The Drawbridge

It wasn’t so long ago HM The Queen - Lizzie or Queenie in this part of her domain - announced her intention to make the royalty business much more open and transparent in keeping with the mood of the moment.  The Prime Minister immediately added the clause to the Freedom of Information Act in an attempt to show that Lizzie wish was his command.  

Some applauded her sentiment and understanding of the public’s views. Some didn’t and I was one of them.  Being a bit of a cynic my first thought was ‘Why?’ The answer seemed to be she was responding to her critics who question the necessity for her family to be subsidised by public money when they’re one of the richest families and landowners in the United Kingdom. Must keep the sheeple happy.

Today I discovered Lizzie’s largess with her public information files is to be withdrawn immediately.  Nae mair news frae the Palace.  Nae mair leaks of questionable correspondence between the royals and their subjects.  What are the London elite going to talk about over their candlelit dinners now?  I suppose there’s always Bob Geldorf or Bono or another celeb of limited talent well past their sell-by date.

Why the rush for another revision of the FoI Act?  The old adage ‘nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ springs to mind.  Someone’s been naughty, really naughty and we ought to be told;  after all we pay handsomely for their luxurious lifestyles.

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What's Not To Like?

The New Yacht

click to enlarge

Last October the Daily Tail launched a campaign for a new Royal Yacht. The inspiration came from the need to have a boat, flying the Union flag, ruling the world's oceans once again.

Quietly in the background, a consortium - called the University of Oceans - of prominent maritime, scientific and educational figures has already developed a fabulous plan for a 650ft ship (image). Maldwin Drummond, a marine author and co-founder of the project said: "This would unite the nation and business and serve an educational purpose for all ages right up to PhD students."

There wasn't much enthusiasm for the Mail's idea last year, so they've decided to give it another go and enthusiastically report it is also being privately 'supported' by Prince Charles and Princess Anne.  There's no mention the two royals will be sticking their hands in their pockets, but I'm sure they'd be delighted to be photographed aboard the new all-singing-all dancing vessel.  Often.

The ship is now being marketed as a 'privately funded royal yacht to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee' and the public are assured (several times) that it won't cost the taxpayer a penny, as it will be funded by private donors and personal donations.

To substantiate building this floating palace/science lab/exhibition centre, the PR experts realised they must somehow mention a benefit to children in their marketing package and they have succeeded. They managed a quote from Michael Gove, who is said to support the idea of a new yacht because there is no public funding involved. Being Education Secretary he was bound to mention children and he duly did: "I support that project because it would provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth from across the country to learn new skills and to take part in exciting new adventures."

The end product will cost £80 million (and the rest- ed) and tomorrow morning a bunch of officials from Buck House, the Westminster government and Boris HQ will unveil the plans for what is being hailed as 'one of the great spectacles not just of 2012 but of modern times'.

What's not to like? Surely only hearts of steel could refuse the Queen a new floating home. She's reigned over us for 60 years and deserves a wee gift.

Come to think of it - didn't she cry when her old one was snatched by Tony Blair and dumped in the waters of Leith?

I, for one, would be delighted to formally return the boat to which she was so emotionally attached. In fact, I'd go as far as transporting myself to the Leith dockside, equipped with a new lace-trimmed white linen hankie, with which to wave my farewell on its sail south. It has been given several refurbs and is currently undergoing another, but I'm told the paint will be dry long before it's needed to whisk Her Majesty and her courtiers along the Thames for the occasion of her 60th anniversary.

David Cameron could organise for it to be open to visitors and business groups when royalty don't require it for official duties, (personal royal shindigs should be classed as business events), and the income could be used for running costs.

What's not to like?

The Royal Yacht Britannica

in  dock at Leith

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Transparency - a Murky Business

Since the Freedom of Information Act came into force I've used it a few times.  Have you ever tried the system?  Believe me your tenacity gets a thorough workout.

Two requests were handled speedily (and to my satisfaction) and the other four replied with a standard letter stating my request breeched the Data Protection Act, section xyz, paragraph abc.  I'm paraphrasing.  Two of those I thought were important enough to pursue so I did.  Neither was resolved and they became battles for access to information which ought to be in the public domain. It's time consuming interpreting the jargon and excuses and I can understand why many people give up.  One wrong word in your request and it's ammunition for the recipient to make life as difficult as possible for you.

The Deputy Prime Minister recently argued, in a high-profile speech, that openness should be extended to more organisations which benefit from public money 'yet who cannot be properly scrutinised'.  Few people would disagree with that statement.

But, tucked away in the civil service verbosity of a civil liberties package unveiled by Nick Clegg, are moves to exempt senior royals from freedom of information laws. The Royal Family is to be granted absolute protection from public scrutiny in a reform designed to draw a veil of secrecy over the affairs of the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William.

Tom Brake, the MP for Carshalton and Wallington, is 'disappointed' by the failure to enforce more openness. Disappointed?  I'd be much happier if he'd said he was furious but he possibly doesn't want to fall out with the royals, although his card may well be already marked 'no honour under any circumstance'. Quite rightly he states "the Royal Family are recipients of substantial sums of public money.  They should be accountable through FOI. In my view it should be possible to differentiate matters that rightly should not be subject to FOI from those that should in terms of the expenditure of public money".

Buckingham Palace disagrees because they say the FOI has failed to protect the constitutional position of the monarchy and heir to the throne.  The spokesman explained that the sovereign has the right and duty to be consulted, to encourage and warn the government, and by extension, the heir to the throne had the constitutional right and duty to prepare himself for the role of King. 'This constitutional position relies on confidentiality so that all such correspondence is confidential,' said a spokesman.

I sense Charlie is building his defences prior to being promoted.

But there's good news for us hoi polloi. 'The Ministry of Justice intends to increase the number of organisations to which FOI requests can be made, bringing bodies such as the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Financial Services Ombudsman, the higher education admissions body UCAS and also all companies wholly owned by any number of public authorities.

What have the royals to hide?  We'll never know now, but if you read the end of the Independent's article, there have been quite a few revelations in their expenditure when they were open for FOI business.  MPs will be rubbing their hands with glee and desperately hoping that they're next in line for protection from FOI.

Nick Clegg isn't doing too well in government is he?  Most of his principles seem to have vanished like 'sna aff a dyke'  because of his desire to sit on the front bench and look authoritarian.  I won't mention the armoured car and his protests about government ministers using such transport. The damage he is doing to his party appears irrelevant.  Time a libdem backbencher stood up and told him a few home truths.

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The Announcement

Courtesy of Conan the book man

click to enlarge

'At last,' gasped the editor of Hello magazine on radio at lunchtime.  I could sense the £s signs dancing in her irises. Since then the media appear to have lost its ability to broadcast home and world news.

This shouldn't be news headlines.  The couple have been living together for some time yet they've decided an engagement is necessary.  Seems there are specific formalities for royals that don't apply to the hoi polloi.  At least they've decided to get married before their children are old enough to be page boys/flower girls.

I've just heard David Cameron saying, "It's good news and I'm sure it's an occasion when the country will come together."  Doubt if the bankers will bother Dave.  Thanks to their ability - with government help - to abuse our hard earned savings, they're in a position to drink Cristal any day of the week.

My good wishes to them. The engaged couple I mean.

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