Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

So, did the Albert Dock staff receive £25 towards a Christmas party as well as the book?

I still think that it's rather ungracious to refuse a gift that has been offered, a bit like handing someone a Christmas present straight back and saying that you don't want/like it! I suppose we all have different values and, it's a possibility, that the book was sent to Albert Dock to encourage people to start their own business after redundancy.

Of those that took offence to the book, what would you say was the main reason?

From the information I have gathered, the gift seems to be viewed as either:

- Insensitive and/or inappropriate. A bit like the bank repossessing ones house and then sending a Christmas card to say "all the best for 2012"!

OR

- An ego trip by Sir Branston, ie the assumption that staff want to read all about him.

From what I know about him, I doubt the second reason was anything intentional and he probably knows nothing about this.

Have I summed up the reasons accurately?

Are there any other issues regarding this that offended people that I have overlooked?