HOW DARE YOU! ……..Ask questions. (& The alternative reality of “French Seal Wadding.*”)

In recent years climate change “activism” has become the “de rigueur” professional occupation of so many wannabes. Challenging “nasty” authority has become so acceptable that it is not only a money spinner but legitimises otherwise illegal activity. Close the Dartford Crossing – become a hero. Law breaking, anti-social behaviour, blocking an emergency ambulance, it’s all okay in the name of climate change activism. Indeed being a full on pain in the arse is now considered a good thing. Of course those non benefits recipients, the tax payers, and the law abiding members of the general public now have no rights at all and can be treated with disdain…………and all for politely asking questions. Welcome to the imaginary world of “Freedom of Information” and why most of YOU have no rights.

Readers of this blog will know that I have queried the existence of 103 missing Met Office Stations . They will know that I have gone to great lengths to get the Met Office to own up to exactly how they derive “Climate Averages” from these stations both before and after they were operational. They will know I have extensively tried to establish how closed weather stations are still reporting current monthly figures. They will know just how the Met Office has declined, or more specifically, REFUSED to divulge how they compile figures for these Zombie sites. They will know how the Met Office covertly amends their websites and understand why I have to lock down data by screen capture to avoid them altering numbers. They will also know that this does not only affect me but that others are treated similarly by being blocked as “spammers”, ignored and subject to discredit as highlighted by Dr Eric Huxter in comments on his own guest post.

Where does all this lead to? As I quipped in releasing those obviously ultra high level “State Secrets” such as how Met Office Stations comply with WMO/ISO regulations – “However, I have not thrown soup at the Mona Lisa nor blocked the Dartford Crossing so in the interests of public information I feel at liberty to broadcast my own “personal knowledge” – thus I share below a view of the entirety of the recent Met Office reply to my enquiries. I will add my thoughts after.

Thus so much for a series of questions relating to a range of issues – and their ultimate response.

Some fairly straightforward observations for clarity. Firstly there is NO obligation under EIR regulations for those requesting data under Freedom of Information request to even supply a name and address nor any proof of identity. Yes there are several differing requests all from me because I was honest enough to provide my personal details. The Met Office could simply not have used the excuse of multiple requests had they come from numerous different sources – are those responding to me so unaware of this situation? I could easily remake all those 10 FOI requests separately from 10 different email addresses, from 10 different people and 10 different addresses of close family and friends alone acting on my behalf. Taking that further, the Met Office is courting benign “Civil Disobedience” – I am confident that through the power of social media (typically X) together with this and other friendly blogs that I could readily get 10 times that number of individual requests – perhaps one for each of the 103 missing Met Station! What would their response be to that? Ban all FOI requests if they do not like the questions?

I find the enumeration of both “BAU” requests (presumably through the enquiries desk) and FOIs + “challenges” quite interesting – are taxpayer’s questions rationed? By whom? By that same token how many paintings can I throw tomato soup at before being ignored?

But the obvious point that has been missed by those refusing to answer is that they NEVER have answered the simple questions in the first place simply delayed, obfusticated and deflected. And that is the entire point…..they will do everything they can to not answer presumably calling on some form of FIFTH Amendment – wouldn’t want to incriminate themselves would they?

I will be responding shortly asking for them to review their position on ALL questions I raised pointing out that failure to do so will result in referring to the Information Commissioner’s Office and/or alternative less palatable strategies. I will naturally keep everyone informed and seek to publicise the situation as widely as possible.

Finally (and equally importantly) regarding the Seal Wadding – a more personal note. I felt very down on receiving the latest Met Office response. It feels like a war of attrition where one’s opponent has unlimited time and resources. I considered giving up the whole project despite only yesterday publishing my 250th report – a long hard slog with a long way still to go. Having shared the Met Office response with others I quickly got some very helpful and encouraging responses from OldBrew, Rog, Paul Homewood, Dave Woolcock amongst others with especially good news from Councillor Derek Tipp. But what really picked me up, and gave me a great laugh, was by a stalwart who will know who I mean – sincere thanks – and now I know what Seal Wadding is in French!

Source: https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2025/06/03/how-dare-you-ask-questions-the-alternative-reality-of-french-seal-wadding/