The Cabinet Office internal computer system has a message board where staff can chat. As in most organisations it’s mostly people moaning about the IT system, but occasionally an interesting conversation can develop. Guido understands that since Monday morning someone in the Cabinet Office has been trying to start a thread discussing the problem of workplace bullying, a legitimate concern given the recent staff survey found seven per cent of Cabinet Office employees (that includes the bunker bods) had been bullied and more than half were afraid to express concerns to senior staff.

Yet for some reason the internal communications team are refusing to allow the thread to be published. Intriguing…

Having claimed that the Iraq Inquiry had been called to satisfy conspiracy theorists, Guido understands that Tony Blair has been sending hand-written letters to some of his closet allies and pals who defended him in the run up to, and after, his Chilcot performance. As well as thanking them for their loyal on-screen defences of him, he called the legitimacy of the inquiry into question with an aside that the whole process has been “most improper – but anyway, I survived.”

Who was it that said Chilcot wasn’t a waste of time?

The Falklands situation is becoming increasingly heated, the Latin American countries have rallied behind the Argies leading the Defence department to announce that the islands will be defended by “whatever means necessary“. Quite what these “means” will be remains to be seen given the already overstretched and depleted armed forces. The UK couldn’t afford, or turn around quickly enough, the sort of of taskforce Maggie deployed. A pretty frightening prospect but still at this stage a problem that hopefully won’t have to be addressed.

Given this latest war of words is over the disputed right to drill in the seas around the Falklands, with Desire Petroleum opening up a rig, a certain amount the onus is on them to help fund the defence of the British territory…

Hats off to Dizzy for the spot. The Prime Mentalist story goes global, and when it hit Taiwan, this happened. Give it thirty seconds:

The greatest Crimewatch reconstruction Guido has ever seen.

Someone in Ed Ball’s Department of Children, Schools and Families couldn’t keep a straight face when details of an upcoming training day were revealed yesterday. Guido hears that the Anti-Social Behaviour, Bullying and Truancy Seminar next month will include the following sessions:

• What are Government’s agenda and expectations?
• Do we pay too much attention to the perpetrators and not enough to the victims?
• How should we develop more effective approaches to identifying, helping and supporting victims?
• Where can we hope to be in ten years time?

Given that internal polling is showing the Cabinet Office is too scared to speak out about the bullying that goes on, perhaps Gordon should pop along to the session in Leeds next month. Ball’s just told Radio 4 that he has never seen Gordon bully anyone. Must be tough for him to spot what he is a pivotal part of…