tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595075381858118604.post3541279539539048712..comments2009-06-10T09:59:13.560+01:00Comments on Domesday: Caroline Flint, Europe Minister?Domesdayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072629559843874613noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595075381858118604.post-44748043321722551912009-04-04T12:01:00.000+01:002009-04-04T12:01:00.000+01:00This seems to me to be shallow political point-sco...This seems to me to be shallow political point-scoring. Estelle Morris (this morning on Week in Westminster on Radio 4) made what seemed to me to be a reasonable case for Caroline Flint. I am paraphrasing her: Ministers "read through" critical large reports. They receive a summary from civil servants. They receive a political analysis from a political adviser. They receive press cuttings related to the topic. They attend meetings on the specific detailed issues. They have conversations, briefings, interviews on the given topic. <BR/><BR/>What a shame Caroline Flint wasn't asked, "Are you confident in your thorough knowledge of the Lisbon Treaty?" (But that wouldn't elicit a headline-generating response, would it?!) I don't know what Caroline Flint's answer would have been, and I don't know how shallow or deep is her knowledge of an essential part of her portfolio. But I do know that few people could answer in all honesty that they have thoroughly read "all" of any large policy document. <BR/><BR/>I didn't hear him quoted personally, but apparently Ken Clark has openly said he did not read all of the Maastricht Treaty. Do you want him sacked too?galuppinoreply@blogger.com