Researchers are finding that the handover of power is having a noticeable impact on their lives. A new swathe of PPSs and juniour whips are eager to prove their worth by appearing hard working and efficient, and are jumping up and down trying to get backbenchers to appear in the House for statements or ask questions to their deparments.
However they’ve not learnt the etiquette of the job yet, and are getting their staff to make the phonecalls and send the emails. Fellow researchers report being called up by a PPS’s staff asking what supplementary their boss is going to ask, and we’ve all had emails asking for attendance that have come from the researcher without any attempt to put their MP’s name to it.
Whips’ researchers have been calling loyal MPs to check up on them and at least one MP has told them to shove off and stop asking because they should their voting intentions by now.
I had a Whip’s researcher call me last week asking for the whereabouts of my boss and acting as if he was the whip. The jumped up little so-and-so was trying to do a Tommy McAvoy impression, but conveyed none of the gravitas. Or the menace.
Climbing the greasy poll is about making good personal contacts, and having your staff try to do your new job for you won’t get you very far. Especially as researchers are stubbon beasts and will stop playing ball if they get irritated.
redtamarin[at]gmail.com
Loading ...
Well many researchers spend a lot of their time on the diary, although I accept that there are a number who have first rate political minds, the political thought of many is somewhat rudimentary.
Also I’m very used to talking to other researchers like they’re the MP’s who they work for, and I’m used to being spoken to as a mouthpiece for my own - not too sure what the problem is here.
Even calling other MP’s on behalf of your own is not something I find surprising. The idea that an MP sees all of the work that a researcher does in his/her name is not a pretence that is worth protecting.
Merl said this on July 26th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Ahhh well now you’re starting to know how the rest of us feel after 11 years of Labour Government by jumped up apparatchik.
Matt said this on July 26th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Not quite 11 years - perhaps our Numeracy and Literacy hours haven’t been as successful as we hoped.
tom said this on July 26th, 2007 at 8:14 pm