I did a little work today between 7.30 and 10 o'clock, before the bureaucrats reared their ugly 9-5 heads.
- Then my boss rang. He's okay this boss - get that clear - but he has to explain to the EU bureaucrats what hours we've been doing in order to get the EU bureaucrats to pay the company. The discussion on the implications and ramifications of the forms he needs to fill with what hours and what information on who, how long, for how much, took about an hour. It's not democracy to have so much bureaucracy that the work doesn't get done.
- Then I had to ring the company that delivers ready made meals to aged aunty because her bit of plastic won't go through. I agreed to send them a cheque then rang the bank. Turns out that EU regulations say the bank can't stay like it is but must split into two banks and that means they have to issue a new card, which they've sent out and they've stopped the old one. Those phone calls took an hour. I don't feel in charge; they changed the bank without me asking; it's bureaucracy not democracy
- Then I trotted down to the charity shop to deliver some specialist books for recycling. "Thank you. Are you a tax-payer?" Oh, no! I'm not filling out one of their forms today, and I've probably filled it out before, so now I feel guilty for not helping them get their extra tax free amount. But it's more form filling and bureaucracy. Charity depends on bureaucracy now.
Gus O'Donnell argued on Radio 4 that "an efficient bureaucracy isn't only a symptom of a mature democracy - it's a fundamental prerequisite." Can we note the word 'efficient' please, and let me get back to doing productive work?
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