Penman: High Court ruling on Patel case sets an important precedent to protect civil servants
07 Dec HR

Penman: High Court ruling on Patel case sets an important precedent to protect civil servants

FDA's judicial review has made it clear the ministerial code is more than just a political document, but the case shows how much change is needed
by Dave Penman
‘Instability is a future staple’: thinking through the policy challenges of the 21st century
06 Dec Policy
‘Instability is a future staple’: thinking through the policy challenges of the 21st century
'Miles away from conveying the necessary radicalism': Priority outcomes one year on
22 Nov Finance
'Miles away from conveying the necessary radicalism': Priority outcomes one year on
With the healthcare system on its knees, 'The Saj' talks about making plans
19 Nov Finance
With the healthcare system on its knees, 'The Saj' talks about making plans
Opinion: net zero should be the test case for civil service reforms
15 Sep 2020 Civil Service Reform
Opinion: net zero should be the test case for civil service reforms
A stronger centre, more engineering capability, and a sharper focus on delivery should all be on the checklist for the government’s climate change mission, argues Tom Sasse
Dave Penman: the government’s return-to-office drive is yet another insult to civil servants
08 Sep 2020 Civil Service Reform
Dave Penman: the government’s return-to-office drive is yet another insult to civil servants
The introduction of targets for officials to get back into departments is gesture politics, says the FDA general secretary, and is likely to fail
Opinion: It’s time to rebrand the civil service
04 Sep 2020 Civil Service Reform
Opinion: It’s time to rebrand the civil service
The civil service works hard to reach out to the country to make itself more representative of the nation. But at a time of looming reforms, perhaps a more fundamental refresh is in order
Home (working) truths: how the government could really deliver something world-beating from Covid-19
03 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
Home (working) truths: how the government could really deliver something world-beating from Covid-19
A civil servant laments mixed messages on remote working and suggests radical thinking could help the levelling-up agenda, aid small businesses and contribute to tackling climate change
'There will be many tougher days than this': an ex-perm sec's open letter to Simon Case
01 Sep 2020 Leadership
'There will be many tougher days than this': an ex-perm sec's open letter to Simon Case
Former DWP perm sec Sir Leigh Lewis offers some words of wisdom to the new cabinet secretary
Dave Penman: Civil servants must not fear they will be sacrificed, undermined and discarded – that’s no way to run a government
27 Aug 2020 HR
Dave Penman: Civil servants must not fear they will be sacrificed, undermined and discarded – that’s no way to run a government
"If those who you routinely ask to go that extra mile, feel that at a moment’s notice they will be sacrificed, undermined, briefed against and discarded, then you will not attract the best people and you will not get the most out of them"
Garry Graham: Slater sacking underscores toxic blame culture of Johnson administration
27 Aug 2020 HR
Garry Graham: Slater sacking underscores toxic blame culture of Johnson administration
As DfE perm sec becomes the latest Whitehall chief to be ousted, Prospect's deputy general secretary says the government is offering a masterclass on how NOT to drive positive change
Five data-ethics and AI experts on... what we can learn from the qualifications algorithm fiasco
21 Aug 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
Five data-ethics and AI experts on... what we can learn from the qualifications algorithm fiasco
The Open Data Institute asked experts to explain where Ofqual and other qualifications regulators went wrong in this week's A-Level grade controversy
The genie has left not only the bottle, but the entire building – so stop trying to shame civil servants back to the office
06 Aug 2020 Coronavirus
The genie has left not only the bottle, but the entire building – so stop trying to shame civil servants back to the office
As journalists accuse "workshy" officials of "wrecking the economy", Dave Penman asks: If remote working works for employees, why not embrace it?
It's not the plan, but the planning: leadership tips from the coronavirus response
04 Aug 2020 Coronavirus
It's not the plan, but the planning: leadership tips from the coronavirus response
Leadership in the current crisis is about recognising changed circumstances, trusting your people and neutralising uncertainty by embracing the reality of it, says The Whitehall & Industry Group chief executive Simon Ancona
Opinion: Now is not the time for a three-year spending review
31 Jul 2020 Coronavirus
Opinion: Now is not the time for a three-year spending review
Heightened uncertainty around the economy and public services mean that the government’s decision to hold a three-year spending round is the wrong one and should be reversed writes Institute for Government senior economist Thomas Pope
Garry Graham on government comms overhaul: 'The independence of the civil service is under threat'
23 Jul 2020 Communications
Garry Graham on government comms overhaul: 'The independence of the civil service is under threat'
If planned comms changes go through, the PM will find they have made the government machine work much less effectively when the next crisis bites
Opinion: Why Britain's risk-averse, fragmented research funding is hampering our ability to deliver national security effectively
14 Jul 2020 Security & Defence
Opinion: Why Britain's risk-averse, fragmented research funding is hampering our ability to deliver national security effectively
To harness radical benefits for society, the UK needs a single research funding body which can commandeer funds from across government departments and bodies, argues defence and security expert Dr Simon Harwood
Dave Penman: What we can read into the latest bout of anonymous briefing
09 Jul 2020 Communications
Dave Penman: What we can read into the latest bout of anonymous briefing
New leaks to the press about reforms to the Government Communication Service are yet more proof that this government sees control from No.10 as critical to its operation and success
Operationally led, digitally enabled: A fresh approach to transforming legacy border systems Sponsored
07 Jul 2020 Foreign Affairs
Operationally led, digitally enabled: A fresh approach to transforming legacy border systems
Simon Daykin, Chief Technology Officer at Leidos, on how to deliver a more advanced border through digital transformation
The Care Inspectorate: Introducing agile working to improve the complaints-handling process Sponsored
06 Jul 2020 Operational Delivery
The Care Inspectorate: Introducing agile working to improve the complaints-handling process
PA Consulting on why an agile system for handling complaints means better care for employees and complainants alike
Substitutability: Maybe government is less unique than it imagines Sponsored
06 Jul 2020 Commercial
Substitutability: Maybe government is less unique than it imagines
Is it in our best interests to assume our needs are unique, or should government procurement professionals look to ‘best fit’ substitutes? New observations from Proxima’s Guy Strafford, EVP
‘His decency and integrity shone through in everything he did’: Government Legal Department's Stephen Amos remembered by Sir Jonathan Jones
03 Jul 2020 Legal
‘His decency and integrity shone through in everything he did’: Government Legal Department's Stephen Amos remembered by Sir Jonathan Jones
GLD perm sec pays tribute to "a brilliant lawyer and the most diligent of public servants"
Mark Sedwill’s extraordinary career shows ministers work with talented public servants. They must inspire them, not just challenge them
01 Jul 2020 Civil Service Reform
Mark Sedwill’s extraordinary career shows ministers work with talented public servants. They must inspire them, not just challenge them
The civil service is full of civil servants who have excelled throughout their career. Continued briefing against them won’t get the best from them amid unrepresented challenges, Dave Penman says
‘I hope an enduring legacy will be how we seek to work together’: one civil service union’s Covid lessons
25 Jun 2020
‘I hope an enduring legacy will be how we seek to work together’: one civil service union’s Covid lessons
The deputy general secretary of Prospect says the civil service has never before worked at such pace as it had to in response to coronavirus. Close collaboration between staff and employees could be one the pandemic’s legacie
Opinion: The government must protect and nurture the best of DfID as it merges with the Foreign Office
19 Jun 2020 Foreign Affairs
Opinion: The government must protect and nurture the best of DfID as it merges with the Foreign Office

If done correctly, blending the skills of both the Department for International Development and the Foreign Office could yield something that is greater than just the sum of its parts
Case study: How academic ‘policy entrepreneurs’ can help the civil service
19 Jun 2020 Economy
Case study: How academic ‘policy entrepreneurs’ can help the civil service

From the impact of Covid-19 to dealing with the impact of climate change, government has never faced greater policy challenges. But, as recent work on developing policy strategies for carbon capture and storage shows, civil servants can get help from academics to find the right solutions. Professor Karen Turner, the director from the Centre for Energy Policy at the University of Strathclyde, explains

How civil servants have learnt at pace during Covid-19
16 Jun 2020 Government Tax Profession
How civil servants have learnt at pace during Covid-19

Two former directors general – now leadership coaches – share their observations about civil servants seizing opportunities to innovate
We have special legislation to cope with crises like Covid – so why didn’t the government use it?
05 Jun 2020 Government Tax Profession
We have special legislation to cope with crises like Covid – so why didn’t the government use it?

Instead of invoking the Civil Contingencies Act when the pandemic broke out, the government drafted its own coronavirus bill. Could it be because of the CCA's emphasis on scrutiny?