Talk:Elizabeth Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

message: Symons' supposed approval of a contract with Halliburton makes it sound sinister but there is no allegation of wrongdoing. As written, it basically says she approved the contract. What's the point? I'd assume that she would approve all kinds of contracts in her job.  Either the article should make it clear that there is some reason for devoting a paragraph to the subject (malfeasance? political controversy?), or a full review of her contracting career should be included, or the paragraph should go. -Willmcw 08:07, 23 Jan 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: I've searched around looking for anything interesting connecting "symons" and "halliburton" but I come up empty-handed. There has not been any majoraccusation of malfeasance or significant political controversy. It looks like it's just there to provide support for a LaRouche theory of connections between Anglo and American interests. No, Lynn Cheney is not in charge, and neither is Baroness Symons. Unless anyone can show some relevence, I'm deleting it. -Willmcw 09:32, 23 Jan 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: What is the point of the Halliburton mention?

message: I don't understand the change from Baroness Symons being identified as a British Trade Union leader to naming the trade union, particularly when the name is wrong. She was the General Secretary of the trade union which then was called the Association of First Division Civil Servants, and which is now called the FDA.  This is detailed in a later paragraph on the page.  The first paragraph no longer reads well, and I think it looks better to describe her as a former trade union leader, which is what she was, before becoming a peer. Guineveretoo (talk) 12:30, 1 June 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: As you say, Symons was General Secretary of the Association of First Division Civil Servants, now called the FDA, which the later paragraph details with a piped link. I've standardised the lead with that. Haldraper (talk) 13:00, 1 June 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  FDA not First Division Association 

message: It seems to me that Haldraper has specifically and deliberately removed any reference to Liz Symons having been a trade unionist. This probably ties in with the previous dispute, where s/he was arguing that the FDA is not a trade union. It is clearly accurate and appropriate to indicate that she was a trade union leader, and there is no logical reason for it being removed. I am, therefore, reinstating it. Guineveretoo (talk) 16:49, 4 June 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Whether you think the FDA is a bona fide trade union is neither here nor there. "is a former British trade union leader, having been General Secretary of the Association of First Division Civil Servants" is as clumsy and repetitive as "the Pope is head of a Chritian church, being leader of the Catholic Church". Why not just say, as the body of the page does, "is a former General Secretary of the Association of First Division Civil Servants"? Haldraper (talk) 08:18, 5 June 2010 (UTC)
replies: text:  Why not just say "was a former leader of a trade union", which is what was there before. The FDA is mentioned later in the article. You also removed the words "trade union" from later in the article, so that, if your edits are allowed, there is no mention of trade unions. It is apparent that this relates to your previous argument on here that the FDA is not a trade union.  Guineveretoo (talk) 08:43, 5 June 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Trade union leader