A senior civil servant in the Department of Education, having lost a case for ‘bullying’ brought against its special advisers, took her grievance to a tribunal and was promptly awarded an out-of-court settlement of £25,000. Hacks on a Sunday newspaper were jubilant, devoting three pieces to it: it must have been bullying after all, the Department was out of control, will no one rid us of these turbulent Spads, and so on. But were they right?
The greatest of Roman historians, Tacitus (ad 56-117), was well aware how hard it was to get solid information. Though an insider himself — consul and provincial governor — time and again he found himself up against a brick wall. The reason was that all the real decisions were taken no longer by the senate but behind closed doors in the emperor’s inner circle.
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