Author Profile

Her career as a civil servant may have come to an end, but Clare Moriarty is still driven by a desire to change things, and a commitment to supporting others. She talks to Jess Bowie about the challenge of shutting down DExEU, the importance of emotion, and whether the civil service is as inclusive as it says it is

Three years and three secretaries of state into his time as Ministry of Defence permanent secretary, Sir Stephen Lovegrove discusses diversity, procurement lessons, and how long his staff can expect to put up with his jokes

After 10 years scrutinising government accounts and trying to stop departments from squandering taxpayers’ cash, the comptroller and auditor general Sir Amyas Morse is standing down from the National Audit Office. Jess Bowie meets him. 

The outgoing permanent secretary of the Department for International Trade breaks bread with Jess Bowie

Deaf civil servant Lisa Baldock has been on a mission to improve the working lives of disabled civil servants across government – something possible thanks to the life-changing impact of her hearing dog, Inca. Jess Bowie finds out more

CSW editor Jess Bowie responds to concern over the lack of ethnic diversity on CSW's December cover

After a career in journalism spanning the Financial Times, The Times and Prospect, Bronwen Maddox has taken the helm of the Institute for Government. She tells Jess Bowie about her vision for the IfG’s future – and spills the beans on dinner with Russian president Vladimir Putin

With the future of the United Kingdom once again in the balance after the vote to quit the European Union, Jess Bowie sits down with Scotland's top official to discuss Brexit, independence – and whether the culture at the top of the civil service is holding women back. Photos by David Anderson

From the editor: The “Leave” vote may have been a surprise, but civil servants will implement it with energy and integrity 

From the CSW editor: A commitment to improving workplace adjustments for officials with disabilities is welcome. But possible discrimination is a real cause for concern

From the editor: Iain Duncan Smith's resignation highlights the sheer power of the Treasury under George Osborne

Since Clare Moriarty became permanent secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs last August, she has found herself drawing on three decades of Whitehall experience to tackle challenges like flooding and organisational reform. Jess Bowie meets her

The civil service is completely dependent on the professionalism of its workforce – but is there enough recognition of the effect that distressing decisions can have on officials?

The former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Justice – and before that the Ministry of Defence – looks back on her Whitehall career over lunch with CSW editor Jess Bowie

The Met Office's first home-grown chief executive talks to Jess Bowie about leading the award-winning organisation, grappling with the effects of public sector pay restraint​, and his concerns over the BBC's decision not to renew its contract with the national weather service

Former Ministry of Justice permanent secretary says technology-enabled flexible working can help disabled civil servants progress in their careers, even in an era of prolonged cut-backs

As the dust settles on the Spending Review, the founder of Tony Blair's Downing Street Delivery Unit Sir Michael Barber assesses the implications for good government, looks ahead to the new Single Departmental Plans – and says it's time for a rethink to ensure the civil service can continue to attract top talent

Sir Jeremy Heywood has been at the centre of power in Britain for longer than any prime minister. In a wide-ranging interview, Jess Bowie asks the cabinet secretary and head of the civil service about budget cuts, Whitehall pay, the Chilcot Inquiry – and whether he ever feels like throwing it all in

The former top official at the Department for Work and Pensions shares his Whitehall reflections with CSW editor Jess Bowie

Una O’Brien feels proud of what she’s achieved in five tough years as the Department of Health’s top civil servant. But what does being permanent secretary at DH mean in 2015, and how is O’Brien tackling the most pressing issues facing the NHS today – including the critical state of its finances? Jess Bowie meets her

Jess Bowie breaks bread with the outspoken chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

Between advising the foreign secretary on crucial policy matters and overseeing a network of 13,600 staff – 9,000 of whom are overseas – arch-diplomat Sir Simon Fraser has been busy championing the diversity agenda across Whitehall. As he prepares to retire from the civil service, he sat down with Jess Bowie for a final interview

As Cabinet Office minister, Francis Maude has overseen the biggest shake-up of the civil service in living memory – and earned a reputation as ‘a man trying to fight everyone in the pub at the same time’. It’s a description he’s proud to embrace, he tells Jess Bowie.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude tells CSW that performance management should move from a system where managers categorise set proportions of staff as performing well, acceptably and poorly to one where employees are individually ranked best to worst

With the defence budget becoming ever more contentious, the MoD’s permanent secretary Jon Thompson must continue to balance spending decisions with national security. It’s a tough job – but one he’s privileged to do, he tells Jess Bowie. Photos by Paul Heartfield

Outgoing DCLG perm sec and former head of the civil service Sir Bob Kerslake chews the fat with Jess Bowie

The civil service’s first chief executive has an ambitious agenda to define the next era of Whitehall reform – whatever those “damn politicians” might be planning. Jess Bowie meets him

They do things differently in Totnes, and they have a Member of Parliament who does it her way too. Jess Bowie travels to Devon to spend the day with Sarah Wollaston, the Tory MP and select committee chair who has no fear of speaking the truth to power. 

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Dianne Hayter thinks politicians should show more respect to civil servants who “work their socks off”. But, she tells Jess Bowie, there are still plenty of areas where Whitehall needs to up its game.

Once an anonymous Whitehall lawyer, Shami Chakrabarti is now the very public face of Britain’s civil liberties movement – and a woman who inspires admiration and outrage in equal measure. Jess Bowie meets her