That's not my name

At last a summers evening and the chance to crank the walkman up to 11 for the train journey home . Oh and what a treat tonight as I packed a C90 with some the Ting Tings on. This got me tapping my foot and jigging slightly as the train headed out of Waterloo East.

Four letter word just to get me along

It's a difficulty and I'm biting on my tongue and uh

I keep stalling, and keeping me together

People around gotta find something to say now..

They call me Nicky

They call me Nicholas

They call me her

They call me Nick

That's not my name

It is as if it was written for our pal Nick Sheridan-Westlake. Such a nice name.

Funny thing names - It seems some people want to be known by one name whilst others call them something else entirely. For example I have heard Uncle Eric Pickles being called all sorts of things by his staff.

Now it seems DCLG are keen to block requests for information from the growing army of armchair auditors, especially one relating to their infamously costly (and hardly visited) barrier busting website – I am not including the link any longer as it just doubles their traffic.

DCLG have decided to block what appear to be legitimate requests from Amy Fisher and Mr Jones. Strangely they seem to have responded to Ms Fisher on various requests but decided to block her and question her identity when she started sniffing around the Barrier Busting website  (see: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/user/amy_fisher)…. I wonder why? I am sure if you are a budding Armchair Auditor there may be things that you want to know how your hard earned taxes were spent on this website. If so get a request in, you never know what you may find out!

All a bit fishy that DCLG have so far just asked requestors to confirm their identity when they started asking questions are the Barrier Busting website but seem to be happy to respond to anything else unless it from me ;(

Also good news. It is reassuring to see this has been picked up the hard working indefatigable investigate journalist Ruth Keeling, at the Local Government Chronicle (see http://www.lgcplus.com/topics/transparency/dclg-resorts-to-identity-checks-to-stall-vexatious-foi-requests/5034172.article)

Fame and Fear

Well I never! What a few days.....

On Friday I arrived home a hero. Mrs T, the twins and Bob and his dog were there to cheer me up the garden path. Under my arm I carried a copy the Local Government Chronicle, I held my head high and my chest was swelled with pride. Quite simply I had made it. I had been recognised – I was famous!!

The LGC article was beautifully written by the charming Ruth Keeling and outlined my struggles with DCLG to extract information from the department using the Freedom of Information Act. Recently DCLG have decided to deploy a tactic to declare requests as vexatious rather than simply supply the information that the requester is legally entitled to – so much for Uncle Eric’s cry for transparency.

Friday night I felt like royalty, not exactly Pippa, more Beatrice. I received calls and messages of congratulations but I assured everyone that I will not let it change me. I may be a star but I will remain true to my roots and not give up my day job (or even my evening job as an armchair auditor). Having said that if someone wants to commission a TV talk show or Hollywood blockbuster – please contact my agent Mrs T.  I am most certainly open to offers darlings.

Late on Saturday night my revelry was broken. A DCLG memo was leaked to The Observer  concerning estimates that suggested an extra 40,000 could be made homeless by proposed benefit caps. I was forced to issue a statement from the steps of my home, quoting the words of the reggae maestro Shaggy – “It wasn’t me!” Ok this was a bit over-dramatic considering I was not being door stepped by the media but I felt given my new  position in the media spotlight I had to issue a statement. With fame comes responsibilities.

That brings us to Monday.  Today it was said in The Telegraph that tweeter NakedCServant had been dismissed from his job for saying a few nasty things about sensitive Uncle Eric Pickles and poor Grant Shapps.  Blimey if this is the new way to deal with a few people moaning a bit, there will not be many left at DCLG once Uncle Eric has performed his Great purge.  Perhaps it is time for me to keep my cake hole shut – but we all know how hard that can be don’t we Eric – especially when there is so much lovely cake about?