Lifting the load: Bernadette Thompson shares her leadership insights
16 Sep HR

Lifting the load: Bernadette Thompson shares her leadership insights

Bernadette Thompson, a deputy director in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, shares her thoughts on compassionate leadership and the importance of supporting others as you forge your own career
by Suzannah Brecknell
Opinion: Improving government communication won’t save muddled policy decisions
17 Sep Communications
Opinion: Improving government communication won’t save muddled policy decisions
Opinion: As the government considers its approach to regulation, here’s how it could improve scrutiny
13 Sep Policy
Opinion: As the government considers its approach to regulation, here’s how it could improve scrutiny
The pain of migraines: one civil servant shares their experience
03 Sep Health & Social Care
The pain of migraines: one civil servant shares their experience
Andy Cowper: So, are social care and the NHS now sorted?
15 Sep Health & Social Care
Andy Cowper: So, are social care and the NHS now sorted?
The government’s tax hike for health and social care will provide extra funding, but does it go far enough?
In confidence: Karina Singh, director of transformation at HM Land Registry discusses leadership styles
08 Sep Civil Service Reform
In confidence: Karina Singh, director of transformation at HM Land Registry discusses leadership styles
A few months after joining the civil service as a summer job, Karina Singh was taking on her first leadership role. Now leading transformation at HM Land Registry, she talks to CSW about the importance of testing and trusting yourself as you carve out your own leadership style
Mixed messaging: Lee Cain's proposals to reform government communications need more clarity
07 Sep Communications
Mixed messaging: Lee Cain's proposals to reform government communications need more clarity
Kay Hender, head of communications at the FDA union, argues that Lee Cain has identified some of the challenges faced by the Government Communications Service, but his proposed solutions are contradictory and could make things worse
Party time: exploring Germany’s system of political civil servants
18 Aug Foreign Affairs
Party time: exploring Germany’s system of political civil servants
The federal government in Germany has developed a third way between the models of the UK and US civil services, with political control over only the top jobs. Prof. Dr. Werner Jann sheds light on this hybrid system
What next for the UK’s data protection regime?
17 Aug Digital, Data & Technology
What next for the UK’s data protection regime?
The EU may have granted its former member state adequacy, but there will be many more issues to resolve in the coming years. Sam Trendall explores
Procurement and the pandemic: How CCS rose to the challenge of Covid-19
16 Aug Commercial
Procurement and the pandemic: How CCS rose to the challenge of Covid-19
The Crown Commercial Service has helped the public sector in its agile response to the coronavirus. Chief executive Simon Tse shares the lessons from the past year
Opinion: Lessons for the government consulting hub
12 Aug Commercial
Opinion: Lessons for the government consulting hub
The government has confirmed that it plans to go ahead with the creation of a central consultancy hub. How should it work? Iain Greenwood explores the issues
Boots on the ground: the inside story of how the Army helped government’s Covid response Exclusive
11 Aug Coronavirus
Boots on the ground: the inside story of how the Army helped government’s Covid response
The Army’s role in the UK’s pandemic response placed the force unusually close to the domestic frontline. In this exclusive interview, the head of the Army, Mark Carleton-Smith, shares the lessons of a year like no other with Richard Johnstone
Learning curve: Susan Acland-Hood reflects on a year leading DfE
10 Aug Education
Learning curve: Susan Acland-Hood reflects on a year leading DfE
Susan Acland-Hood took on her dream job as Department for Education permanent secretary amidst a pandemic and following a national row over A-Levels. Ten months on, she tells Beckie Smith how the department is working to move from a reactive mindset to a long-term one
Cop-ing strategies: Has the government backed up its net-zero ambitions with action?
09 Aug Energy & Environment
Cop-ing strategies: Has the government backed up its net-zero ambitions with action?
The UK government has some world-leading pledges on carbon reduction ahead of Cop26. But have the policies to meet them followed?
Read the summer double issue of CSW
02 Aug Civil Service Reform
Read the summer double issue of CSW
All you need to know about the Declaration on Government Reform, an exclusive interview with the Department for Education perm sec, and much more
Caroline Slocock: The Greensill review's treatment of Jeremy Heywood is blatantly unfair
29 Jul Finance
Caroline Slocock: The Greensill review's treatment of Jeremy Heywood is blatantly unfair
Refusing to hear evidence from the late cab sec's widow is an unfortunate look for a government with a track record of treating civil servants badly
Ending the great divide: Let’s scrap distinctions between civil servants, council officers and NHS staff
27 Jul Civil Service Reform
Ending the great divide: Let’s scrap distinctions between civil servants, council officers and NHS staff
The distinction between different kinds of public servants hinders public sector collaboration. It is time to end it, says former Whitehall permanent secretary Lord Michael Bichard
Time for evidence: an ex-Treasury official on why the Spending Review must match money to outcomes
22 Jul Finance
Time for evidence: an ex-Treasury official on why the Spending Review must match money to outcomes
Ministers regularly talk about the amounts they are spending but, with a difficult Spending Review under way, the public need the tools to determine whether they are getting value for money, says former Treasury official Andrew Hudson
Opinion: Can Covid get the public sector working as one?
19 Jul Leadership
Opinion: Can Covid get the public sector working as one?
The government’s plans for reform have placed an emphasis on operating “more seamlessly with institutions outside government”. Pamela Dow, the executive director of the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit and Stephen Crookbain, the director of leadership (interim) at Cabinet Office, set out some of the lessons from the public sector’s pandemic response that can unlock progress
Divided we fall: time to strengthen Britain’s centre of government
19 Jul Civil Service Reform
Divided we fall: time to strengthen Britain’s centre of government
A proposal to create a prime ministerial department would provide a central organisation at the heart of government to ensure policies get delivered, says two-time perm sec Sir Suma Chakrabarti
‘The stars have aligned’: Exploring digital transformation in defence Sponsored
16 Jul Security & Defence
‘The stars have aligned’: Exploring digital transformation in defence
The government’s flagship Integrated Review into defence has thrown plans for improving digital technology into the spotlight. CSW brought together a panel of experts to discuss the opportunities
Dave Penman: Bold ideas and recipes for chaos from the Commission for Smart Government
15 Jul Civil Service Reform
Dave Penman: Bold ideas and recipes for chaos from the Commission for Smart Government
The new review is a serious piece of work, and comes just weeks after the government’s own declaration on reform. But do ministers have a clear strategy for the reform they want?
Opinion: Getting Great British Railways on track
06 Jul Economy
Opinion: Getting Great British Railways on track
There remains a great deal to do to translate the government’s high-level vision into a concrete plan, says the Institute for Government's Matthew Gill
How ministers can be involved in civil service appointments
02 Jul Civil Service Reform
How ministers can be involved in civil service appointments
After the government pledged to give ministers ‘visibility’ of senior civil service appointments in their department, a member of the Civil Service Commission sets out how the system works now
‘Substantial ideas cleverly hidden under bland headings’: Ciaran Martin on the Declaration on Government Reform
30 Jun Civil Service Reform
‘Substantial ideas cleverly hidden under bland headings’: Ciaran Martin on the Declaration on Government Reform
The Declaration on Government Reform may not excite the culture warriors who want to tear down Whitehall, but it should interest serious public service reformers
Dom versus Declaration: How reform plan matches against Cummings’ civil service criticisms
29 Jun Civil Service Reform
Dom versus Declaration: How reform plan matches against Cummings’ civil service criticisms
The prime minister’s former top adviser made civil service reform a key plank of his time in No.10. Now that the official plan has been published, how much of his vision remains?
Bolt of insight: ex-chief inspector of borders and immigration David Bolt on the challenge of overseeing the Home Office Exclusive
24 Jun Civil Service Reform
Bolt of insight: ex-chief inspector of borders and immigration David Bolt on the challenge of overseeing the Home Office
As independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, David Bolt spent six years shedding light on the Home Office’s work. He tells Beckie Smith about inspecting Napier Barracks, post-Windrush reforms, and the challenge of changing the department’s culture
Opinion: Why the Declaration on Government Reform shows the time for change has come
23 Jun Civil Service Reform
Opinion: Why the Declaration on Government Reform shows the time for change has come
Civil service reform is not a zero sum game where ministers win and civil servants lose, says Martin Wheatley, the research director of the Commission for Smart Government. Now is the time to make positive change for all