What is going on between government and the civil service?

[malumbu]

The coalition gave civil servants a right kicking and after a hiatus it all seems to be happening again.

I found Philip Rutnam measured, supportive and politically neutral in some brief dealings with him. Not the sort of person to take on a government minister. I don't think this shares anything particularly sensitive or that these views will impact any court case. Guido considers that all civil servants are a waste of space of course.

https://order-order.com/2020/02/29/philip-rutnam-quits/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51687287

Former Cabinet Secretaries have spoken up on behalf of their ex-colleagues but we are now in a different world

https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/impartiality-under-threat-a-warning-from-former-uk-cabinet-secretary-gus-odonnell/

And there is previous form too

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/15/anger-over-resignation-of-top-civil-servant-bob-kerslake

[malumbu]

So we have had the unprecedented situation of an ex permanent secretary suing government over constructive dismissal, and EDF is only interested in the Bojo baby? If I had entitled the thread something inflammatory about the lovely Pritti perhaps I would have got more interest.

Bojo is happy though; speaking during a visit to Public Health England in North London on Sunday, Mr Johnson said he "absolutely" has confidence in Ms Patel. "I think she's a fantastic home secretary" he said. "Anybody who's been home secretary will testify that is one of the toughest jobs in government." He added that he was "full of admiration for our civil service and the job that they do".

So all if fine, move on move on, nothing to see here

[sjsl]

I think we're all waiting with bated breath to see what happens next. The Bojo baby was clearly a distraction but he can't come up with one of those every week and the Patel issue won't go away (hopefully).

Meanwhile this shows her grasp of the job rather beautifully methinks

[Blah Blah]

Those of us with a deep interest in government and wider politics are not overlooking this Malumbu. We know we are in another top down government, with an unelected advisor wielding the real power over the civil service and advisors. I think reality is going to hit once those trade talks start in earnest. Boris can't hide every time the kitchen gets a bit hot.

[malumbu]

I like the video. Interestingly of course she will be briefed by policy and communications colleagues so that she would get the key three to five points over, using the RIGHT terminology. She will face ridicule among here own civil servants if she can't even do that. Or maybe not at Bojo get's it wrong all the time.

[Blah Blah]

There is now that story of a former assistant being paid ?25k in settlement over another accusation of bullying by Priti. So there is clearly something behind these accusations of her behaviour.

[JohnL]

Sometime people bully because of the pressure they're under from above, whatever, the leader of the organisation has to be the one to make a stand against bullying at all levels.

That means you Boris (or maybe Dom).

[uncleglen]

The final 'What I Learned' section kind of sums up the Westminster vs Whitehall.

https://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/opinion/what-i-learned-when-i-made-leap-whitehall-westminster

[Blah Blah]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sometime people bully because of the pressure

> they're under from above, whatever, the leader of

> the organisation has to be the one to make a stand

> against bullying at all levels.

>

> That means you Boris (or maybe Dom).

This is entirely possible too. A culture can be set from the top down.

[Blah Blah]

That's a good article Uncle and I think fairly sums up the relationship between the two. 'Yes Minister' owed a lot to the out of sync outlook between ministers and civil servants. I get the sense that Cummings wants a revolution within the CS however, that makes it think more like government, rather than both camps learning to appreciate what each other actually does a bit more.

[malumbu]

The word that caught me in the article was 'impartiality'. Civil Servants are not political appointees. On the odd occasion that an interventions is not justified this will be put on writing to the minister ie we don't agree and this is a political decision. The professional relationship should still continue.

I also liked this part of the article "Of course these are somewhat exaggerated descriptions of what goes on in Whitehall and Westminster. Civil servants think far more about the political context than I have given credit for, and politicians and political staff do engage in much detailed policy discussion. I certainly did in each of my roles."

But I worry the world has changed under Cummings/Bojo. The later is famous for not reading submissions (May was the opposite and wanted to know things inside out) and he seems to make it up as he goes along (current situation he is reflecting the scientific consensus so this doesn't count).

Yes minister was an entertaining sit com, from another age. It's not like Spooks, which MI5 described as an entertaining piece of fiction but in private would be thinking "hmmm that is a bit close to reality".

There have been other ministers who have not had good relationships with their senior civil servants, not sure if the Priti Patel one has set a new bar. Here's another article of interest https://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/news/charles-clarke-politicians-who-%E2%80%98slag-off%E2%80%99-civil-service-are-%E2%80%98completely-wrong%E2%80%99

[Blah Blah]

A perfect example of Boris making it up as he goes along is the fate of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. His laziness has consequences. And that is also why a figure like Cummings ends up with so much power.