Get rid of ‘mongrels and wasters’ by paying government advisors more Opinion Sue Gray’s salary as chief of staff attracted controversy for all the wrong reasons: it was too low, not too high. Across government, we should be prepared to pay serious money for serious talent, says Patrick King Staffing appointments by the new government have led to cries of cronyism, with hand-wringing about civil service politicisation. [...]
Why a businessman (or woman) should run the civil service Opinion Keir Starmer has reshuffled his top team, but he has still one appointment left to make: cabinet secretary. He should hire someone from outside the Whitehall machine to drive better performance across the public sector, says Andrew Haldenby If Keir Starmer wants a government that works and a productive economy, he needs to do more [...]
Nightmare fuel: Have Labour’s first 100 days proved a shaky start? Politics During Liz Truss’ short-lived premiership, my friend confessed the then-Prime Minister was actually living out a recurring nightmare she occasionally had. The ‘plot’ of said nightmare? “The idea that you think yourself capable of something and you get to the top and you’re on the front page of every newspaper, and every news channel and [...]
With Sue Gray gone, Keir Starmer will have no more excuses October 8, 2024 Sue Gray is carrying the can for the shortcomings and mistakes of her boss, says Henry Newman Morgan McSweeney is Keir Starmer’s second chief of staff following Sue Gray’s resignation. And we aren’t even 100 days into the new government. Some of his predecessors lasted far longer. David Cameron’s only chief of staff was there [...]
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it? October 7, 2024 Kremlinology is an old Cold War concept referring to the study of key individuals high up in the Soviet government. Who was in favour, who hadn’t been seen in a while, who was winning power struggles and who had been shot; Western analysts devoured such intelligence in an effort to understand who was actually in [...]
The Notebook: How to fix the civil service? Pay the top brass more October 7, 2024 It's in everyone's interest to have the best talent in the civil service. That's why we should pay the top brass more, writes James Chapman.
Ex-cabinet secretary says £200,000 job is ‘massively underpaid’ October 6, 2024 Ex-cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell has said the UK's most senior civil servant is "massively underpaid" at £200,000 per year.
Sue Gray resigns as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff October 6, 2024 Sue Gray has resigned as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff after a controversial three-month tenure, saying “intense commentary” around her position “risked becoming a distraction”.
Government hits back at ‘false’ claim Sue Gray ‘declined’ to be paid less than Starmer September 18, 2024 The government has hit back at claims that top civil servant Sue Gray declined to be paid less than the prime minister. The BBC reported today that Gray is now paid more than Sir Keir Starmer, citing one unnamed source saying: “It was suggested that she might want to go for a few thousand pounds [...]
Labour has secured a resounding win – now the real challenges start July 10, 2024 As the now-Prime Minister and his advisors will be painfully aware, if he wants to secure a successful first term, the time to act is now.