Muscle memory is defined as a combination of neurological skill refinement and physiological cellular retention – brain and body kicking in on a repetitive task. It should be used for riding a bike or playing an instrument, not responding to the public undermining and reprehensible treatment of one of the most senior public servants in the country, but there you are.
We witnessed this week the same behaviours from government that we thought we’d seen the back of after the Johnson/Cummings era. Remember that successful double act? Even by their standards, this week was a new low. Honestly, it’s hard to work out if invoking the Cummings analogy would be triggering to those in and around No.10, or make their chests swell with pride. Either way, if it walks like a duck…
Prime ministers have a right to choose their cabinet secretaries, it’s a relationship that needs to work and is vital to the effective functioning of government. They even have a right to change their minds, but they also have responsibilities. Responsibility to treat people with respect. Responsibility to show leadership and recognise that trust, so vital in the constitutional relationship between civil servants and ministers, is easily eroded and then difficult to rebuild.
The briefing has to stop. Plausible deniability is not good enough and it never was
The prime minister, among all his other responsibilities, is also minister for the civil service. More than anyone, the prime minister sets the culture and tone in government when it comes to that relationship. So, what exactly does this prime minister – a former permanent secretary – think the impact of the treatment of his cabinet secretary – not only during this week but over the last few months – is going to be?
The systematic undermining of the cabinet secretary, fuelled by the disappointingly inevitable anonymous briefings and ultimate departure, is not simply about the treatment of a committed public servant, as reprehensible as that is. It is also about effective government.
Is this the way to get the best from your leaders? Will this encourage the brightest and best to want to come into government? Will civil servants be more trustful of their relationship with ministers? Will they feel motivated and less risk averse? Only last month Darren Jones, in a speech on civil service reform, talked about wanting civil servants to be bold and take risks. Ministers will have their back he assured them, in this joint venture of transforming public services. What impact will this week’s events have on that? Are we back to the Johnson era where in departments, ministers were imploring civil servants to ignore the noise from the centre?
I said earlier this week that there’s little that surprises me these days; I’m an old, wizened hand at this game, but what does surprise me is the failure of this government to learn from the Johnson/Cummings era. This is not a successful model for running government. Instability does not make for more effective government.
We’ll soon be on our third cabinet secretary in under 18 months, as well as the prime minister’s third chief of staff. Over half of the ministers left or changed roles in the autumn reshuffle. We’ve seen a number of senior departures across the service and now, if an incumbent permanent secretary is picked to fill the vacancy, we will see more.
The prime minister is an avid Arsenal supporter, a club in many ways synonymous with stability. Would he think the chances of his club’s success would be enhanced if every few months “those around” Stan Kroenke let it be known they weren’t happy with Mikel Arteta or some aspect of his management style?
Governing, like football management, is a tough business. No one doubts that. I wouldn’t want to be prime minister (though I’d have a go at managing Arsenal). Civil servants want government to succeed. They want to be part of that joint endeavour in transforming public services and delivering better outcomes for the country. All the ingredients are there to make that relationship work – committed talented people who have, in the main, chosen this career. As I’ve said many times before, you need to work really hard to piss them off. So why would you?
The world will move on. The prime minister will choose a new cabinet secretary and everyone will try to look forward not back, but will they learn?
I don’t know if the prime minister reads this column, but if he does, this last bit is for you Keir. The briefing has to stop. Plausible deniability is not good enough and it never was. Only the prime minister can stop what is ultimately done in his name.