Re: Was it the last Straw?
BarryF wrote:
http://www.fight4thepjm.org/Correspondence/Brennan_Rule_Rewrite_261006.pdf
I have just sent this email to that stalwart supporter JohnI and thought it may be of more general interest.
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John,
I am not sitting on the edge of my seat awaiting the pronouncement of the HD Committee. We have made considerable progress over the last few months but we are working harder now than at any time before knowing we are up against it.
I have written another letter to Denis Brennan (and the other two in the Gang of Three). Many people were 'conned' (or Coney'd, as I put it) in 2005. Consider this outline libretto for a not-so comic Opera:
1. Foreign Secretary receives a request from the Malaysians to award the PJM to British citizens.
2. Jack Straw (actually Ian Pearson his behalf) sounds out the prospects of acceptance from the FCO Honours Secretariat who deal with such Foreign medal requests.
3. The FCO Honours Secretariat sounds out their MoD equivalent .. "We're generally in favour, how do you see it".
4. The MoD replies to the FCO ... "Not on your Nelly. It would mean we have to check records and be involved in distribution. Reject it."
5. Ian Pearson reports back that the MoD have veto'd the medal. Jack Straw is aware that the Aussies and Kiwis have OK'd the PJM for wear so he can't just trash the Malaysian request. He decides to ask the Malaysians to retract the request, give him a month to sort something out before re-submitting the request and asks for a review of the Foreign Decorations rules (a blueprint for a way ahead having already been agreed by the FCO and MoD).
5. FCO and MoD compare notes to try and find a way to deny acceptance of the PJM while maintaining some semblance of good relations with Malaysia and British veterans... FCO say "We have the 5-year rule to call upon but we're a bit weak on that one because we set it aside so we could accept for wear the last two requests - from Malta in 1992 (Queen was going there so we had to accept it) and Russia in 1995 (we needed to ingratiate ourselves with them cos they might do business and they have some very dirty Weapons of Mass Destruction."
6. "Bugger!" says the MoD "I know, why don't we take advantage of Jack's request for a review, review the 1969 regs, and slip in a few more objections while nobody is looking ... you know, the old favourite from MoD British medal rules, double medalling!"
7. "Great idea!" says the FCO, "You deserve a medal for coming up with that one. You draft it and we'll bung it in. Nobody'll notice we're using them retrospectively. We'll state it all as if it were true. You know the sort of thing ... everything is 'long-standing' ... you know, 'long-established' ... that sort of thing. Jack can slip it in to the Commons Library when he's next passing by. And Bob's your uncle. The job's a good'un."
8. "Fantastic!" says the MoD and FCO duet "And we'll tell'em we've gone out on a limb on this one. We'll tell'em ... wait for it , wait for it ... we'll tell'em that we've set aside our two rules so they can receive the gong and then ... wait for it, wait for it ... as you were! ... we'll tell'em that we've then invoked those same rules so they can't wear their souvenir! They'll feel bloody lucky we didn't just trash it and we won't hear from them again as they'll be busy playing with their new trinket at home. QED."
Caricature, maybe. But broadly correct. That is the background to my letter to the Gang of Three (attached - see quoted link above).
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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
