Also thanks, started my Saturday explaining what OG means to my mum.

Child/ God theory. Not sure Kings have the same deference for the metaphor.

But yes, as Alex says it’s normally used to help ministers understand the distancing/ frustrating effect both aspects can have in their relationship with CS.

It’s also part of how system stops seeing them as people.

Not good all round. But where *on earth* did this come from? Just made up

Am now imagining the voting system if perm secs got to whittle it down to two candidates before that was sent to the wider civil service membership

Do i need to write an explainer stating that replacing a Cabinet Secretary is *not* initiated by the classic sending in letters of no confidence??

Does Mallorca have merch that can be used to compensate me?

I might forgive you if it turns out my tote bag went to Mallorca.

Quite right.

I'm so sorry! Only left him out because of keeping the word count down. Blame Ed Llewellyn having so many long worded former jobs and me being keen to get mention of Wellington into it....

For further reading see this excellent Commons library briefing for more nerdy detail on letters of credence and the constitutional language around ambassadors appointments commonslibrary.parliament.uk/how-are-dipl...

But one minister is now doing one less job. Michael Shanks is now minister in only one dept.

bsky.app/profile/timd...