Another leak? This isn't a department, it's a colander

Another leak? This isn't a department, it's a colander. - Yes Minister, The Compassionate Society
The ship of state, Bernard, is the only ship that leaks from the top - Yes, Minister, The Bed of Nails

In "Yes Minister", Bernard is worried about leak inquiries. To reassure him, Sir Humphrey Appleby asks Jim Hacker, the Minister, how many leak enquiry reports, in round figures, he had ever seen. The answer, of course, was none - leak enquiries are for setting up - not for reporting.

Listening to Senator Shenton on the leaked emails that had been sent to his Council of Minister colleagues, I was reminded of this, mainly because when pressed by the reporter as to whether there would be an inquiry about the leaked email, he suggested it would be unhelpful at the moment, but might be taken up later. He really seemed to think - as did the reporter - that it might be possible to do something about it.

I really think that watching "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister" should be compulsory for all States Members, as - also with the Frank Walker and microphone debacle - it would educate them into at least the rudiments of political life, and how to deal with the press, the public, and internal matters, like leaks of emails from colleagues or officials, so that they would be more cautious before sounding off, and the way in which they do so.

Now, of course, the States Members can also make fools of themselves within the States Assembly; take for example, this piece of logic by Senator Ozouf on a 4 year term for Constables:

A 4-year term will not work with a 3-year political cycle. It simply will not work. In 2008 we will have an election for Senators, Constables and Deputies. In 2011, it will be Senators and Deputies. Constables waiting until 2012. 2014 we will have Senators and Deputies, 2016 Constables. How is that going to work with the appointment of Ministers and Scrutineers? How is that going to work with Constables taking a full part in a 3-year cycle? It is just simply nonsense.

Remembering that prior to recent debates, there was no cycle of Constables elections which were in any way "in sync" with any other elections whatsoever, and that Senator Ozouf was quite happy to let that go as the status quo - it was the Constables themselves who sought a single day, and it is clear that this kind of comment is nonsense. If Constables could be elected completely out of synchronisation for decades with the rest of States Members, why can't that continue but with a unitary election day for Constables?

Is it any wonder that John Le Fondre, in the same assembly, said "I will say I am probably slowly losing the will to live"?