There is a hackneyed sentiment expressed in varying forms by football managers and some players when asked by sports journalists how they feel about the 'pressures' managers are under. The assumption seems to be that those who are paid vast sums of money to bring success – and are dismissed when they fail – are constantly subject to what used to be called 'executive stress', whereas someone toiling to make ends meet is somehow free from such feelings.
The response in question is a variation on: "I'm not under pressure. It' people with no jobs and children to feed who are under pressure." I think it was Sir Bobby Robson who expressed it most eloquently in response to a question on the radio, waxing lyrical about how he was paid large amounts of money to do something he loved. Waking up in the morning and not knowing how you're going to feed your kids: that's stress!
You'll have guessed by now I don't have a deal of sympathy with the story in the Law Society Gazette reporting that in 69% of cases dealt with by the charity LawCare last year, stress was reported to be the reason for the call. These were all from people who still had jobs!
The same journal reported APIL as predicting that nearly three-quarters of firms in the personal injury field are predicting job losses if the Government goes ahead with its planned shake-up of civil litigation. It's my guess that among the cutbacks made will be spending on expert witness reports, with the attendant risks to the courts getting the full picture.
• Meanwhile, the Derby and Joan of national politics have been reaffirming their vows again. At a 'look at us, we're still together' event the PM described the coalition as a "Ronseal deal: it does what it says on the tin". The Guardian picked up on Dave's predilection for quoting advertising slogans – after all, he is a former PR man – giving us his other famous ad-quote gaff (Calm down, dear!) and one or two he SHOULD have used. My favourite was: "Don't be vague; send for Hague!" Yes, I know Billy the Kid spells his name different from the whisky, but that just makes the slogan more threatening for Cameron.
I'm no expert on outdoor woodcare, nor have I any desire to be, but I DO know Ronseal is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Sherwin-Williams Company of Cleveland, Ohio. So there we have the UK today: all shiny with no substance, and owned by the Americans.
• Another interesting glimpse into the government process of today was offered by the Government's former Chief Construction Advisor, Paul Morrell. In a piece for Management Today chronicling his time as an 'accidental civil servant', he states that, of the 19 manifestos he received from the construction industry before the 2010 election, detailing what different parts of the industry would like to see from the new government, not one was read by ministers, "...either in power or in waiting". So much for expert opinion guiding government policy.
Chris Stokes