Civil servants were the subject of a number of pre-Christmas communications, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden:
Martin's right. I'm wary of any generalisation about the characteristics of individuals in a large group of people, and in my experience of working in industry and in the civil service, the latter contains at least as much variety of attitude and talent as the former (I'm being mealy mouthed - actually it's more variety). The problems are due to decisions and behaviour of politicians and also to the nature of the job (for policy civil servants), which includes speaking truth to power, as Martin's regular readers know very well.
Spot on (and thanks for the mention). My cynical view is that it was a soundbite carefully constructed to appeal to those voters who do believe that it’s the excessively large and/or woke public sector than is holding the country back from a return to greatness.
This stuff from the new Ministers feels like something we have heard before, and I don't get the sense that it comes with any greater insight into the real challenges faced by the Government machine. Your point that the majority of civil servants work in frontline operations far from Whitehall is very apt. I would like to hear, for example, what the new Administration plans to do in terms of opening up close joint working - not token consultation - between civil servants and external people, especially the voluntary sector which has so much insight and thinking to offer. Perhaps we will in due course, but after this depressing start I am none too hopeful.
Well said Martin. I am long retired but, remembering the many long days and late nights spent in the service of Ministers it is painful, even now, to read Keir Starmer's mean spirited remarks.
Might it be that the way the SpAd role has developed has had an unfortunate effect on the delicate balance of the relationship between ministers and officials (eg the way Private Offices managed ministers diaries, meetings and workloads)?
Electronic communications too have had an effect.
Attention has been diverted from Cabinet and Parliament which are the proper focus of official advice and service.
It certainly troubles me that neither ministers nor officials seem any longer to be concerned about appearing accountable and knowledgable in Parliament. Johnson's (and Cummings') attitude to Parliament during the prorogation and Brexit debates was particularly telling.
And most recent Cabinets have appeared quite subservient to No.10 and its Spads.
Martin's right. I'm wary of any generalisation about the characteristics of individuals in a large group of people, and in my experience of working in industry and in the civil service, the latter contains at least as much variety of attitude and talent as the former (I'm being mealy mouthed - actually it's more variety). The problems are due to decisions and behaviour of politicians and also to the nature of the job (for policy civil servants), which includes speaking truth to power, as Martin's regular readers know very well.
Spot on (and thanks for the mention). My cynical view is that it was a soundbite carefully constructed to appeal to those voters who do believe that it’s the excessively large and/or woke public sector than is holding the country back from a return to greatness.
This stuff from the new Ministers feels like something we have heard before, and I don't get the sense that it comes with any greater insight into the real challenges faced by the Government machine. Your point that the majority of civil servants work in frontline operations far from Whitehall is very apt. I would like to hear, for example, what the new Administration plans to do in terms of opening up close joint working - not token consultation - between civil servants and external people, especially the voluntary sector which has so much insight and thinking to offer. Perhaps we will in due course, but after this depressing start I am none too hopeful.
Well said Martin. I am long retired but, remembering the many long days and late nights spent in the service of Ministers it is painful, even now, to read Keir Starmer's mean spirited remarks.
Might it be that the way the SpAd role has developed has had an unfortunate effect on the delicate balance of the relationship between ministers and officials (eg the way Private Offices managed ministers diaries, meetings and workloads)?
Electronic communications too have had an effect.
Attention has been diverted from Cabinet and Parliament which are the proper focus of official advice and service.
Good questions!
It certainly troubles me that neither ministers nor officials seem any longer to be concerned about appearing accountable and knowledgable in Parliament. Johnson's (and Cummings') attitude to Parliament during the prorogation and Brexit debates was particularly telling.
And most recent Cabinets have appeared quite subservient to No.10 and its Spads.