PM's standards adviser to get bigger team after flat refurb row
21 Jan Coronavirus
PM's standards adviser to get bigger team after flat refurb row
Cabinet office perm sec Alex Chisholm confirms expansion following Geidt’s call for “greater authority and independence”
No.10 accused of seeking to ‘blackmail and intimidate’ MPs trying to topple PM
20 Jan Coronavirus
No.10 accused of seeking to ‘blackmail and intimidate’ MPs trying to topple PM
PACAC chair William Wragg says government had threatened to withdraw cash from constituencies of MPs suspected of plotting to remove Johnson over Partygate
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
19 Jan Coronavirus
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
Significant progress made on cutting consultant numbers, but short-term roles and secondments deter officials from applying
Cabinet Office wins court appeal over contract awarded to Cummings-linked firm
19 Jan Coronavirus
Cabinet Office wins court appeal over contract awarded to Cummings-linked firm
The Good Law Project, which brought the case, plans to appeal to the Supreme Court
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
18 Jan Coronavirus
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
Department revises down estimate of taxpayers’ money it could get back by March 2023
Partygate scandal ‘damaging civil service's reputation’, warns union chief
18 Jan Coronavirus
Partygate scandal ‘damaging civil service's reputation’, warns union chief
Warning comes amid latest revelations of a “prosecco and crisps” get-together at the Home Office
Former Covid task force head apologises for leaving drinks during lockdown
14 Jan Coronavirus
Former Covid task force head apologises for leaving drinks during lockdown
Kate Josephs held office drinks when London was under Tier 3 restrictions
MPs voice concerns over Javid’s £1bn private hospitals ministerial direction
13 Jan Coronavirus
MPs voice concerns over Javid’s £1bn private hospitals ministerial direction
Health secretary signs off on £90m-a-month plans to put sector on standby to provide backup for NHS services
Boris Johnson admits going to 'BYOB' Downing Street garden party
12 Jan Coronavirus
Boris Johnson admits going to 'BYOB' Downing Street garden party
PM accused of "deceit and deception" after claiming he thought May 2020 party "was a work event"
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
12 Jan Coronavirus
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
Some firms marked as high priority for contracts with "no objectively justifiable grounds for expediting the offer", court finds
Police 'in contact with Cabinet Office' over Downing Street garden party
11 Jan Coronavirus
Police 'in contact with Cabinet Office' over Downing Street garden party
Leaked email shows Boris Johnson's PPS inviting more than 100 people to May 2020 get-together
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
07 Jan Coronavirus
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
Companies in the fast-track lane were 14 times more likely to win contracts than other suppliers, according to the NAO
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
06 Jan Coronavirus
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
MPs also warn against a "targets culture" of focusing solely on reducing numbers
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
04 Jan Coronavirus
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
UKHSA and MHRA heads also recognised, along with new Scottish Government perm sec
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
04 Jan Coronavirus
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
The technology tools can also flag “foreign interference” conducted on social media by hostile foreign governments
Simon Case steps down from Christmas party probe
18 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Simon Case steps down from Christmas party probe
Former ethics chief Sue Gray takes over investigation following reports of a party held by cabinet secretary's private office
Cab sec Simon Case ‘attended Christmas drinks’ during tier 2 lockdown
17 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Cab sec Simon Case ‘attended Christmas drinks’ during tier 2 lockdown
The head of the civil service is currently investigating alleged illegal Christmas parties that took place last December
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
16 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
Chief medic also says "only people who have no understanding of health" believe Covid is being over-prioritised by medical professionals
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout Exclusive
14 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout
Registered healthcare professionals across the civil service to get "unlimited" volunteering leave until the end of January
Chisholm seeks civil service volunteers for Covid booster drive
13 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Chisholm seeks civil service volunteers for Covid booster drive
Up to 120,000 officials could be drafted in to hit “million a day” target for vaccinations
Cabinet secretary ‘to finish Downing St party probe this week’
13 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Cabinet secretary ‘to finish Downing St party probe this week’
Investigation expanded to include quiz hosted by Boris Johnson days before No.10 get-together
Fears officials will be scapegoats in Downing St party probe
09 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Fears officials will be scapegoats in Downing St party probe
Civil service unions say ministers must take responsibility for any lockdown rule-breaking
Allegra Stratton resigns after No.10 Christmas party video leak
08 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Allegra Stratton resigns after No.10 Christmas party video leak
The PM's former spokesperson said she will regret joking about a party during lockdown last year "for the rest of my days"
Cabinet Office ‘must make working from home default’ for civil servants
08 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office ‘must make working from home default’ for civil servants
Union says emergence of Omicron Covid variant should be point where departments stop lurching from crisis to crisis in pandemic response