back to article New minister for Whitehall IT

Junior minister Angela Smith has been handed the government IT brief, with responsibility for security across Whitehall. She will take over some of the Cabinet Office responsibilities of "digital engagement" minister Tom Watson, who quit the front bench earlier this year. As well as looking after the information security and …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Huh??

    "Earlier this year Smith was drawn into the MPs' expenses scandal when it was revealed she had claimed for four beds for her taxpayer-funded one-bedroom Westminster flat"

    And promptly and decisively got sac.... promoted?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    Not wanting to sound sexist but...

    Is this the influence of Harriet Harman at work?

    My immediate thoughts are yes, Angela has been given the role so they can say "Look! more women at the top".

    Besides, it's only something to do with IT, no one will care anything about that.

    I'll put money on her having no knowledge or experience in the area what so ever.

  3. NB
    FAIL

    *facepalm*

    And what the fuck, exactly, does Ms Smith actually know about IT?

    Knowing how to draw up a spreadsheet is not a motherfucking qualification.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    transformational government

    What the hell does "transformational government" mean? Bloody government bingo-speak as usual rather than any plain speaking. You tend to find that groups use acronyms and jargon to speed up communication between themselves. This is OK. But to use the same words when communicating with others is seen as being high handed and excluding any participation. Not something a government should be doing. You get the feeling that such clap trap (plain speaking!) is usually used to hide behind.

    And anyway, have they listed Angela's credentials to be an IT minister. Just like the rest of the MPs who become ministers (all parties) don't have any managerial experience or training and have to handle departments of tens, hundreds, even thousands of civil servants.

  5. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    FAIL

    Re-arranging the Deckchairs in the Titanic?

    What effect is she going to have (Apart from screwing up yet more Gov IT Projects) before she gets the boot at the next election?

    Answer = Nill, nada, zilch, zero.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Jobs Horns

    Her credentials

    Ah, but does she have a Twitter, MySpace or Faceache?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Reminds one ...

    Of Jen in the IT Crowd.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Angela Smith

    She's got a BA in Public Admin from Leicester Polytechnic.

    A third rate qualification from a third rate polytechnic in a non-related subject but I'm sure she'll make up for it in other areas.

    Mr A Non MSc, BEngs(hons), MBCS, MIET, MIEE

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ideally qualified

    According to the Telegraph

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5375200/MPs-expenses-New-MP-sought-four-beds-for--a-one-bedroom-London-flat.html

    she spent £100 on a camera, then decided it wasn't good enough for her needs so spent £500 on another one. All with the slightly dubious aim of taking newspaper quality photos of herself visiting local events (don't the local press usually send their own photographer?)

    Sounds like a government IT project in miniture.

  10. Tim Almond
    FAIL

    Our IT Security is in safe hands

    Seeing how she's a former English lecturer and all that....

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Classic ultra-loyal New Labour Clone

    This is her "They work for you" entry:

    http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/angela_smith/sheffield,_hillsborough

    and this is what is on wikipedia:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Smith_%28Hillsborough%29

    She has almost zero knowledge of IT or security, but:

    # Voted moderately against a transparent Parliament.

    # Voted very strongly for introducing ID cards.

    # Voted very strongly for Labour's anti-terrorism laws.

    # Voted very strongly against an investigation into the Iraq war.

    A truly inspirational choice!

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    I live in her constituency ...

    and it will give me great pleasure to put my cross next to another candidate.

  13. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge
    Heart

    Digital Inclusion for Furthering Sublime Services.

    "Earlier this year Smith was drawn into the MPs' expenses scandal when it was revealed she had claimed for four beds for her taxpayer-funded one-bedroom Westminster flat." ........ Well, a comfortable night with a knight is more than important, it is invigorating.

  14. Britt Johnston
    Pint

    Transitional management

    Does that mean the people and policies Labour can pull together now that they're on the way out?

    Depressing, the range of negative and politically insensitive statements expressed. Did Labour serve the IT community that badly, or are all politicians out of their depth?

  15. MinionZero
    Big Brother

    transformational government == transform into a police state.

    The more I see of this "transformational government" strategy the more I'm convinced this is one of the central driving forces behind their rush into a Police State because they are relentless in their orgy of exploitation of all new information technology, to give them ever more powers to control us all.

  16. Martin Milan
    WTF?

    Experience?

    She took the job.

    I think that tells us all we need to know about her experience...

  17. DR

    fail?

    "She's got a BA in Public Admin from Leicester Polytechnic.

    A third rate qualification from a third rate polytechnic in a non-related subject but I'm sure she'll make up for it in other areas.

    Mr A Non MSc, BEngs(hons), MBCS, MIET, MIEE"

    are you sure about the qualifications you have?

    interesting that you list MIEE, since there is no IEE any more, it's IET. one would have thought that after an institution ceased to be and amalgamated and re-branded with another institution that you should stop claiming membership to it.

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