Quote:
Originally Posted by Victoria
A more senior bureaucrat than Kit would know he should never meet alone with a Minister, without the prior knowledge and blessing of his boss. The reporting structure of bureaucratics is to the seniormost public servant, not their Ministers. The seniormost bureaucrat then reports directly to the Prime Minister. It’s how Prime Ministers maintain control over their Ministers.
So Kit was taken advantage of. But does it necessarily make him a chump? I didn’t think so.
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This part I’m rethinking. I do think Kit’s actions on the hill were appropriate, and I wouldn’t call him a buffoon. But he should have know it was verboten to meet alone with Quinn or any Minister. I think maybe Le Carré was getting around that tricky bit of protocol by suggesting HR tricked him into thinking it was officially sanctioned. But it’s awkward, because anyone with Kit’s experience should know to double check with their own boss.