Minister issues memo on likes, dislikes

LONDON, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- A Cabinet minister in Britain told his staff when they should serve him coffee and soup, among other personal expectations, his memo to them reveals.

Liam Byrne's 11-page memo explained exactly how they should behave toward him, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

"Coffee/Lunch. I'm addicted to coffee. I like a cappuccino when I come in, an espresso at 3pm and soup at 12.30-1 p.m.," the memo said. "The room should be cleared before I arrive in the morning. I like the papers set out in the office before I get in. The white boards should be cleared.

Byrne warned his staff if he sees things "that are not of acceptable quality, I will blame you."

Last month, Byrne, was promoted to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Cabinet, where he is responsible for coordinating government departments.

"This is not a briefing note for civil servants -- it's a briefing note for slaves. Making sure the minister gets his cappuccino on time and his soup piping hot is apparently more important than how the country is being run," Tory Member of Parliament Philip Davies said.