Only in the UK?

[oggbashan]

Could a letter like this have been left from the Bush administration to Obama's?

The former chief secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, left a note at his desk saying, "I'm afraid to tell you there's no money left," it has emerged.

Liberal Democrat David Laws, who has been newly appointed to the position, found the summary of the serious challenges facing the new coalition at his Treasury desk.

Speaking at a press conference at the Treasury, Laws said: ''When I arrived at my desk on the very first day as chief secretary, I found a letter from the previous chief secretary to give me some advice, I assumed, on how I conduct myself over the months ahead.

''Unfortunately, when I opened it, it was a one-sentence letter which simply said 'Dear chief secretary, I'm afraid to tell you there's no money left', which was honest but slightly less helpful advice than I had been expecting,''

Former Treausry minister Byrne insisted the message had been a private joke, as convention for outgoing ministers to leave a note for their successors in providing them advice in their new roles.

"My letter was a joke, from one chief secretary to another," he said.

"I do hope David Laws' sense of humour wasnt another casualty of the coalition deal."

Sources from the Treasury said the full text of the letter from Byrne - dated April 6, the day Gordon Brown called the general election - was: "Dear Chief Secretary, I'm afraid there is no money. Kind regards - and good luck! Liam."
When Tory chancellor Reginald Maudling left Downing Street in October 1964 after a narrow Labour victory, he told his successor James Callaghan: "Sorry, old cock, to leave it in this shape."

Og

 

[driphoney]

You lot are in dire straights indeed, for it appears that the incoming man is completely devoid of the famous British sense of irony and wit!

As to whether Yanks are similar (every Southerner cringes when reading that Yank bit,) we appear to play a far nastier, less amusing game.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/12/us/white-house-vandalized-in-transition-gao-finds.html

Don't know about the Bush to Obama transition. *shrug*

 

[Songcatcher]

The joke is on the British sheeple.





I myself was a sheep formerly.





I woke up.

 

[driphoney]

The joke is on the British sheeple.





I myself was a sheep formerly.





I woke up.

And now . . . ?

What are you now?

 

[sr71plt]

And now . . . ?

What are you now?

A little annoying?

 

[JackLuis]

A little annoying?

A little annoying pussy?

 

[sr71plt]

A little annoying pussy?

I think the cat's already bored. It's yawning.

 

[JackLuis]

I think the cat's already bored. It's yawning.

Must have heard about the UK Election?

 

[driphoney]

Must have heard about the UK Election?

You think the UK election was boring?

 

[patrick1]

Perhaps it also happened in the Soviet Union. This is from everything2.com:

On October 14, 1964, after being deposed by his rivals at a Central Committee meeting, primarily for being an "international embarassment," Nikita Khrushchev, who until only moments earlier was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, sat down in his office and wrote two letters.

Later, his successor, Leonid Brezhnev, upon taking office found the two letters and a note Khrushchev had attached:

"To my successor: When you find yourself in a hopeless situation which you cannot escape, open the first letter, and it will save you. Later, when you again find yourself in a hopeless situation from which you cannot escape, open the second letter."

And soon enough, Brezhnev found himself in a situation which he couldn't get himself out of, and in desperation he tore open the first letter. It said simply, "Blame it all on me." This Brezhnev did, blaming Khrushchev for the latest problems, and it worked like a miracle, saving him and extending his career. However, in due time Brezhnev found himself in another disaster from which he could not extricate himself. Without despairing he eagerly searched his office and found the second letter, which he tore open desperate for its words of salvation. It read thus:

"Sit down, and write two letters."

 

[Niriate]

A friend told me that a UK minister had managed to abandon a note in a public place that caused a really embarassing moment.

The note had been about how to make sure that sensitive information doesn't get leaked or abandoned in public places.

 

[Songcatcher]

A little annoying?

Meow?

 

[Handley_Page]

You think the UK election was boring?

Well, it DID have its moments but there was a terrible load of huffing & puffing in the press. None of it had anything whatever to do with what was proposed in the appropriate Manifesto. (Curiously enough, obtaining a copy of said manifesto/s can be a surprisingly difficult or expensive pursuit).

And the populace, having shown several Labour MPs that fiddling the expenses is not a good idea if they was to be re-elected, just got on with their over-taxed lives.

"We have to re-engage with the people", said one would-be MP. He did not stop around long enough to say quite how this was to be achieved.

 

[Recidiva]

I think I'd heard that when "George W. Bush" was elected president, the Clinton administration staff, upon leaving, removed every "W" from every keyboard.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Ultimately 2 things are guaranteed: The folks in the USA and UK are gonna have to produce stuff people want, and a few souls are gonna go to Heaven sooner than planned.

 

[driphoney]

Well, it DID have its moments but there was a terrible load of huffing & puffing in the press. None of it had anything whatever to do with what was proposed in the appropriate Manifesto. (Curiously enough, obtaining a copy of said manifesto/s can be a surprisingly difficult or expensive pursuit).

And the populace, having shown several Labour MPs that fiddling the expenses is not a good idea if they was to be re-elected, just got on with their over-taxed lives.

"We have to re-engage with the people", said one would-be MP. He did not stop around long enough to say quite how this was to be achieved.

Well, I watched some of the returns online (BBC streaming), and thought it was very interesting in a kind of bug-on-the-wall way. And the great thing was that while it was middle of the night for you all, I was watching it at prime-time.

Too bad BBC cuts off all its other programming to the rest of the world. Damn that whole profit making motive.

I think I'd heard that when "George W. Bush" was elected president, the Clinton administration staff, upon leaving, removed every "W" from every keyboard.

I don't think that was alluded to in the article I attached, but it did go into other things, plus, apparently it's common practice with departing staff from other administrations. Disgusting no matter who does it.

 

[Recidiva]

Well, I watched some of the returns online (BBC streaming), and thought it was very interesting in a kind of bug-on-the-wall way. And the great thing was that while it was middle of the night for you all, I was watching it at prime-time.

Too bad BBC cuts off all its other programming to the rest of the world. Damn that whole profit making motive.

I don't think that was alluded to in the article I attached, but it did go into other things, plus, apparently it's common practice with departing staff from other administrations. Disgusting no matter who does it.

Partly why I don't choose a career in politics.

Sounds like frat houses trashing the house before handing it over to another frat.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

On 2nd Thought...

It turns out that Los Angeles buys 25% of its electricity from Arizona.

Arizona officials asked Los Angeles if the boycott means Arizona can sell the power elsewhere.

Stay tuned for a response from LA.

 

[driphoney]

It turns out that Los Angeles buys 25% of its electricity from Arizona.

Arizona officials asked Los Angeles if the boycott means Arizona can sell the power elsewhere.

Stay tuned for a response from LA.

I look forward to hearing it.

Not sure what this has to do with UK politics, but it is interesting.