Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:56:26 +0200
Ambassador called ‘wobbly’ and ‘inept’ on training course suing Foreign
Office
…………………She currently lives in the Eritrean capital Asmara with her husband,
Matthew Connolly, and her work has included helping to oversee a £10million
British aid project…………………..
Sunday 16 Jun 2013 5:09 pm
A British ambassador is suing the Foreign Office after the leaders of a
training course told her boss they thought she was ‘wobbly’ and ‘inept’.
Amanda Tanfield, 51, went on the three-day course run by the Ashridge Trust
to help develop her skills before being sent to a new posting in Eritrea.
But instead the college described her has having ‘serious character flaws’.
<http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1274640.ec
e> Sunday Times reported she was described as ‘a bit passive-aggressive’ in
the feedback given to her boss Nick Pyle.
Mr Pyle’s memo of the conversation is said to have noted trainers found Mrs
Tanfield ‘initially unhelpful’ and ‘wobbly’.
The trainers were also said to be worried about her ‘lack of confidence and
resilience’ and accused her of not participating fully in the course
They ‘further commented that when she did participate in the course it was
[only] to make an ill-judged comment that got incredulous looks from
co-attendees’.
These looks were said to have ‘further undermined her confidence; made her
withdraw further and become passive-aggressive’.
Amanda Tanfield, pictured with husband, Matthew Connolly is seeking £50,000
(Picture: Facebook)
According to papers lodged at the High Court, the 16 participants were told
they could relax and speak freely and they were not being judged or marked.
‘A cast-iron guarantee was being given to all participants that their
confidentiality and privacy as to their conduct, performance, contributions
and participation … would be paramount and respected,’ the papers said.
The course took place at the stately home the Ashbridge Trust run near
Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in April last year ahead of Mrs Tanfield’s
posting which began in May.
Mrs Tanfield is claiming that the damning assessment of her character may
have harmed her 24-year diplomatic career and is seeking up to £50,000 in
damages.
She claims the comments amounted to calling her ‘uncooperative, unhelpful,
antisocial, unstable, inept, weak, rude, incompetent and totally devoid of
resilience’.
They also suggest that ‘her ability and aptitude for her ambassadorial
posting was seriously questionable’.
The ambassador went on the course before being posted to Asmara, the capital
of Eritrea (Picture: Peter Martell/AFP/Getty Images)
Mrs Tanfield claims that to her ‘shock and disbelief’ Ashridge gave her
boss, Nick Pyle, feedback about how she had done.
She currently lives in the Eritrean capital Asmara with her husband, Matthew
Connolly, and her work has included helping to oversee a £10million British
aid project.
In the writ, Tanfield alleges libel and slander and alleges that she ‘does
not recognise’ the feedback.
The college are disputing her claim which they say is ‘without foundation’.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said: ‘The matter is subject
to ongoing litigation and it would not therefore be appropriate to comment
at this time.’
Amanda Tanfield claims ‘shock and disbelief’ when comments were passed to
her boss (Picture: Facebook)
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