by Carl Andrew
Sources close to the Prime Minister told The Day Today that Minister Brooks was seen as the ideal candidate for the vital Cabinet position due to his tough stance on crime, an essential requirement for the new Lawson Government.
Further details of the appointment will be announced this afternoon but The Day Today would like to wish the new Home Secretary well in his new role.
The jury is out on the Lawson Government but the first appointments appear to be on the right track.
As ever, if you have any comments, please post them below or send an email to [email protected]
Within about ten minutes of the post going live a thousand comments had already been shared in response and the story was spread far and wide as a result.
Satisfied with his morning’s work, Leon shutdown the computer and headed out to see what the day had to offer.
Meanwhile, back in Number 10 Downing Street, Russell audibly, and a little sarcastically, marvelled at how quickly ‘these bloggers’ managed to get their news. He wasn’t stupid and knew that a tip off was made but he wanted to ensure the Prime Minister, Vanessa Lim and the other advisors knew he wasn’t green.
“So, shall we get to work Russell,” David said.
“Sure, I’ve had a few ideas about the key challenges we’re facing and some solutions I’d like to start working on…” Russell was cut off as he was just about to invite another intake of breath.
“I have one main challenge for you to focus on Russell. Get the filth off our streets and make them safe again. That’s it. If you can achieve that for me, we’ll then start talking about these other areas of focus. Can you do that?” enquired David.
“I’ll get on to it right away David, rest assured,” responded Russell.
“Vanessa here has been researching and working up some ideas on how we can manage this so please work with her. You guys have worked with each other before right?”
“Yes absolutely. Vanessa, I look forward to working with you. I’ll set up a time for us to go through things later today.”
“Excellent, thanks Russell. Now, to your new office…..” as the conversation continued, David and Russell discussed resourcing, how they were going to work together; and when to arrange a regular briefing.
Chapter 5:
Late-October, North London
Day 20 of the Lawson Government and although the Cabinet positions had been finalised not much was forthcoming in terms of policy particularly to deal with the growing spectre of anti-social behaviour.
Leon took to the streets to interview everyday Londoners and gauge their opinions as to how the Lawson Government was performing to date. He received an array of responses, not altogether positive although some quite balanced.
It seemed as though expectation ranged from ‘want to see stuff done now’ to ‘he’s only been in office a short while, give him a chance’.
Still the piece Leon decided to write was more to try and drag positive activity out of the Government as opposed to biding their time.
Londoners Indifferent About Lawson
The Day Today took to the streets of London to understand the views of the people about the Lawson Government after almost a first month in Office.
While there was an initial flurry of excitement, some would say hope, following the Cabinet appointments, no positive changes have been seen to date.
The scourge of violence still infects the streets and the common man is still very much confined to their homes. “I ain’t seen nothing worth shouting about (sic)” said one disgruntled taxi driver.
While a café owner concurred: “Evening business is still slow and I’m scared to walk home by myself.”
London’s emergency services, upon who we rely on to such a great extent also wanted to see more.
“There were a lot of promises that came from David Lawson and I for one believed them like many other Britons.”
“I’m yet to see those fulfilled. In A&E, we’re still getting scores of victims of violence on an almost hourly basis and the staff are stretched to breaking point. Something has to change now,” said one particularly vociferous nurse.
Overall, there is a distinct feeling around the Nation’s capital that not enough has been done and that all we’ve seen so far from the Lawson Government are cosmetic promises and shallow actions.
So, what grade should be given to the new Government? The report card after the first month is almost up reads a disappointing ‘D-‘. Must try harder.
What’s your view on how things are going so far? With the Prime Minister on BBC’s Question Time tomorrow, what would you like to ask of our new Government? Tell us by commenting below or contact us at [email protected]
Leon posted the article attaching an image of a victim of violence to add greater impact.
Within an hour, a heated discussed was taking place with the majority of commentators condemning the Governments actions so far and a small minority taking to defend David Lawson and his team due to a lack of time to achieve anything specific.
The comments were littered with an array of questions that Leon noted with interest. He had scored an invite to the Question Time program and wanted to ensure he was vocal on behalf of his readership.
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Cabinet Offices, London
Vanessa read the blog post and the accompanying comments with a grimace on her face. A big advocate of managing influencers, the piece on ‘The Day Today’ obviously frustrated her.
She knew how important the media were in terms of forming public opinion and she felt that the Government was starting to lose their confidence even after such a brief period of time in power.
She had been working closely with Russell Brooks on policy to manage the issues surrounding anti-social behaviour but, to date; they had only succeeded in reaching an impasse.
Today’s meeting was crucial to move something forward. David was fronting Question Time tomorrow and the issue of street violence was bound to come up.
It was Vanessa’s responsibility to ensure he was prepared. An appearance like this as the first opportunity for David to front questions from the public was certain to captivate the nation. It was the perfect chance to announce a policy, regardless of how finished the policy was.
She had been mulling over what options remained and the reality was that a stronger police presence was the only option currently available that could create an immediate impact.
Opening her laptop, Vanessa started typing the basic structure of a policy document focused on two phases, the short term phase of increasing a police presence and the longer term phase as yet undecided.
With a half prepared policy document, she set off for her meeting with Russell.
“What have you got for me?” asked Russell as soon as she entered his office.
“We’ve got to look at this from both a long term and a short term perspective Russell. We’ve explored almost every opportunity and I think we’re trying to get to the finish line too quickly,” Vanessa responded.
“The only way we’re going to get immediate results is by strengthening the police presence on the streets. That means cancelling all leave and putting half the force on double shifts,” she said as she handed over the incomplete policy document.
“We’ll get a backlash from the Police Commissioner. You know that right?” Russell interjected.
“What other choice do we have, and besides it will be until Christmas at the maximum, just enough time for us to identify a longer term strategy. The issue we face is that we don’t have the budget available to recruit more police officers,” she continued.
“Besides, even if we did, the jails are full to breaking point. Judges are even handing down more lenient sentences along with community service orders to try and relieve the pressure from within the corrections facilities regardless of the crime, and the criminals know this,” Vanessa pointed out.
“We need a solution that changes
the way people behave. Something that changes the way they treat one another and educates the young people of Britain about the need for respect,” she concluded.
“You know what I think Vanessa. I’ve made that pretty clear. We need to bring back national conscription. The issue is around discipline. There’s not enough in the family of today and so we need these kids to understand the value of respect and order.”
“The only difficulty with that policy, as we both know, is that the human rights lobby will hang us out to dry. We should never have got rid of national conscription in the first place in my opinion,” Vanessa said.
“So, where do we go from here Russell? We need to have something ahead of Question Time tomorrow or David’s in the firing line without protection and that can’t happen. The only other option is to get the army out there but I don’t think we’re at a point where we need to invoke martial law, do you? Besides, the public reaction would be nothing short of chaotic,” Vanessa continued.
With begrudging acceptance, Russell responded with the only thing Vanessa wanted to hear: “I’ll make the call to the Police Commissioner. At least we can try and buy us some time until we figure out the long term plan to solve this bloody mess.”
He pressed a button on his phone and asked his assistant to set up the call. A fifteen minute, increasingly terse call later and the short term policy was in place while a heavily damaged relationship with an irate Police Commissioner was in need of fixing. Russell knew he had to save that particular challenge for another day.
“I’ll get this all typed up and ready to go. Thanks Russell, I think we’ve made a real breakthrough here. I have a couple of ideas for the longer term solution that I’m doing some more investigation into. I should be able to bring at least one of those to you in the next week or so. In the meantime, thanks for your help with this,” said Vanessa.
“Vanessa, I think you and I both know that I didn’t really have a choice.”
With a knowing smile, Vanessa left Russell’s office and set to work drafting the final policy document.
She knew that there wouldn’t really be an issue getting this policy through the channels. Besides, no one had any alternative solutions to dealing with the anti-social behaviour issue that hadn’t already been tried, so there wasn’t really an argument against.
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10 Downing Street, London
The feeling of entering the most powerful house in Britain was still something that Vanessa was trying to get used to. Even in her wildest dreams, she hadn’t considered that she would one day be treating this place as her office.
She remembered watching the news at home and seeing the famous door of Number 10 as the backdrop to many a news story. At her house, having the evening news on the television was almost a religion. At 6pm her father would take command of the remote control for an hour to focus on the day’s events.
Vanessa would join the authoritative Mr Lim in the lounge allowing her curiosity to run away with her. In other households, the continued pursuit of questions from a child would drive most parents mad, but Vanessa’s father was happy to share knowledge with his daughter.
He was of the belief that there was no power greater than that of understanding and he considered ignorance to be almost a crime against creation. He would often say “We were all born with a brain; it is up to us as individuals to use it to its maximum potential.”
Vanessa’s questioning showed her father that she had the ability and also the desire to learn. Nothing could have pleased him more. From a young age, it seemed, a life in public office was always going to be her destiny.
From the moment the Lawson Government got into power and both David and Vanessa settled in to their new place of work, she had insisted on entering through the front door. She had no concern of media attention and revelled in the focus and drive she felt entering through the public facing door.
However, as the car pulled up, she surveyed the scene and felt comforted that the media pack was elsewhere. It wasn’t that much of a distraction but today she had to completely focus on selling the new policy to David. Any hindrance to that was particularly unwelcome.
She’d recited her pitch to the point of frustration and accepted the thought that if she wasn’t ready now, she’d never be ready.
The challenge Vanessa had is that she didn’t really need to put this much effort into preparation. She was a natural diplomat who always seemed to say the right thing at the right time. She put so much pressure on herself simply because she was a perfectionist and it seemed like the right thing to do.
She made her way into the house and headed to David’s office. She had to keep checking herself at this point because it was almost habit for her to burst right in before they had been elected to office.
Things had changed now and she had to observe a certain political decorum.
“He’s ready for you Vanessa and he’s in a very good mood” said Janet, David’s assistant.
Vanessa knew that would make things easier. With a nod of thanks, she made her way in to the office.
“What have you got for me Vanessa?” David queried in a matter of fact tone.
“Hi David, we’ve worked up a short term option to tide us over until we can identify a longer term solution. With the boundaries in place around budget and also limited resources from a judicial perspective, we’re going to increase the police presence on the street until we identify how to tackle the problem from a behavioural standpoint,” Vanessa responded.
“Wow, I don’t know what you just said but it sounded impressive. What I got from it was, we’ll increase the police on the street and then work out how to address the way people behave to one another. Is that right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Ok it seems a little flakey. Are there any other options available to us?”
“None that haven’t already been tried and failed,” she responded.
“So I guess this is last chance saloon to get something happening ahead of Question Time tomorrow?”
“Unfortunately so David, I’m sorry it’s not ideal but for the type of issue we’re dealing with, there really isn’t a solution that’s going to happen quickly.”
“Fine, understood,” said David, “and how’s Russell’s relationship with our friends in the police force now?”
“Indifferent,” suggested Vanessa. “But manageable.”
“You think this will work? Will the public buy into this?” he asked
“They have to. It’s the only option on the table at the moment.”
“I trust your judgement on this one. Thanks for the hard work. So, you have anything in mind for the longer term strategy Vanessa?”
“Best you don’t know at this stage David. I like to think of this more as evoking minimal culpability as opposed to keeping you in the dark.”
“I’m concerned and excited at the same time. Sounds interesting,” said David in jest.
“I suspect you’re going to give me some homework to get on with ahead of my grilling tomorrow,” he enquired.
“Hit the nail on the head,” she responded and handed over a portfolio. Even in this time of environmental consideration, David still preferred a printed document to review rather than a screen.
Vanessa had tried to get him used to using a tablet computer but he complained that the device was a distraction and he hated how it ‘forced him to use it in social situations which showed how bored he was with the company he was in’.
The reality was that he was captivated by tablet computers and couldn’t focus on the task at hand when he was using them.
“Alright, I’ll get on to this tonight and we’ll reconvene tomorrow morning. All good with you?” he asked, but before Vanessa could respond, he followed up with:
“Any plans for tonight? Are you still seeing that Jack character?”
With a smile on her face, Vanessa responded: “It’s Matt and yes I am catching up w
ith him later but not sure how long this one’s going to last.”
David was caught mid-comment when Vanessa hastened from the room leaving his next quip unquenched.
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Clapham, South London
Vanessa got herself ready to go out to meet Matt. Dressed to impress she knew tonight would be the last night they would be together but she still wanted a little action.
The reality was that he was great in bed but lacked the ability to stimulate her mentally. Besides, he was getting a little too close and that always drove her further away.
She had already planned the evening. They’d go out for dinner, have a couple of drinks and then head back to his place for a sexual exchange. She never let them come back to her house although many had tried.
That was her boundary. If they didn’t know where she lived, it was easier to finish with them. Emails and phone calls she could ignore but stalking her home was entirely different.
The evening went according to plan. They met up, had a lovely Italian meal accompanied by a delicious red. She flirted with him but the truth was he already desired her because of what she was wearing as much as anything else.
Her figure hugging red dress and strappy shoes provided the vision of femininity with a sexual undertone encapsulated by her red Italian lace matching lingerie set, which he would experience later.
The first sight of her that evening signalled the eventual romantic interlude to follow. They went back to his place and she performed in bed as well as she had during their time together.
She always liked to finish with them wanting more. He smiled to her lost in his infatuation and then she turned to him to explain the reality of life.
Vanessa knew he would be upset for a few weeks and would try and call, ask himself what he had done wrong, plead with her to come back to him, promise that he could change what he didn’t even know was wrong with him, and then eventually accept the situation.
