Where politics is done

 Once again, back to Churchill:

'On the afternoon of July 27th, I attended a garden party at 10 Downing Street. There I met the Chief Commissioner of Police, Sir Edward Henry. We talked about the European situation, and I told him that it was serious. He then remarked that by an odd arrangement the Home Office [of which Churchill was the head at the time] was responsible, through the Metropolitan Police, for guarding the magazines at Chattenden and Lodge Hill in which all the reserves of naval cordite were stored. For many years these magazines had been protected without misadventure by a few constables. I asked what would happen if twenty determined Germans in two or three motor cars arrived well armed upon the scene one night. He said that they would be able to do what they liked. I quitted the garden party.'


So, governing is done as usefully at garden parties as at official occasions. Possibly, the garden parties are there for the purpose of governing rather than partying. No, there is no possibly about it. Politics is probably as often done informally as formally. Maybe even more often done informally?

 

I think I will move one scene of my story from an official audience room to a ball afterwards. It works much better that way - I was wondering how Arne was going speak up in an official situation without being shut up, and this stops being an issue at a ball. 

Also, it is worth noting that successful politicians don't ignore problems. The cordite stores may have been guarded by a few constables for many years, but once Churchill found out, the issue required immediate quitting of the garden party!

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