| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill 15:43 - Jun 28 with 251 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Boris Johnson considers replacing Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill with a leading business figure in Whitehall revolution overseen by Dominic Cummings - as Priti Patel refuses to confirm top mandarin's job is safe
Boris Johnson is to axe the head of the civil service and could replace him with a captain of industry or other non-Whitehall figure as he plots sweeping changes at the heart of the Government machine
Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill is set to be ousted - perhaps as soon as tomorrow after he was accused of lacking the skills to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
No10 has been revealed as plotting a raft of wide-ranging reform as ministers seek to pin the blame for pandemic failures on departmental figures and scientists.
Last week Mr Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings was reported to have warned that a 'hard rain' was coming.
Home Secretary Priti Patel stokes the fires this morning when, asked about Sir Mark's future, would not guarantee his job was safe.
He was appointed National Security Adviser by Theresa May in 2017 and made Cabinet Secretary a year later - and was allowed to do both jobs despite criticism.
A source told The Sunday Telegraph that Sir Mark is 'fighting to stay as National Security Adviser' and is resigned to losing his post as Cabinet Secretary.
They said: ''He is fighting to keep the national security one but they want to take everything off him and give him a non-job.'
And another source told the Sunday Times: 'One option is to appoint someone from the business world.'
Appearing on Sky's Ridge on Sunday today, Ms Patel said: 'Reform of the Civil Service is a matter that gets discussed in Government and obviously a big role like that is subject to the Prime Minister.
'But I think the fact of the matter is right now, this government is focused on getting on and doing its job; delivering for the country, levelling-up in the way in which we spoke about earlier on on the economic agenda, focussing on social injustice.
'This is the people's government delivering on the people's priorities and effectively, any reforming government will be based around the type of delivery that our Prime Minister wants to drive for our great country and obviously have the right kind of support around him to deliver that.'
Mr Cummings, the chief architect of the Leave vote in the 2016 referendum, is preparing to take an axe to the Civil Service after the coronavirus exposed 'fundamental' flaws in the government machine.
He is said to have told colleagues the Cabinet Office will be stripped of powers after being found wanting during the crisis.
There were even claims of a bruising exchange between the PM and Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill at a meeting on the lockdown 'exit strategy' recently.
The Cabinet Office has been criticised for being unwieldy, unfocused and unresponsive to political pressure as ministers have attempted to avoid crises on personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilator shortages.
Critics fear that Sir Mark, who served as an envoy in Afghanistan, is too steeped in foreign policy concerns and lacks the skills to tackle a complex domestic crisis.
'Mark could convene a (legal assembly) of Pashtun elders, wire up GCHQ and probably kill a man with his bare hands but Simon's rather better at solving a series of ticklish problems and making the whole thing 'tick',' a source told The Times.
When asked at a briefing whether Sir Mark was being sidelined, a Downing Street spokesman said: 'Sir Mark continues to work closely with the senior team to ensure that the government receives all the advice that it needs.'
Earlier this week, Downing Street refused to confirm if Sir Mark would continue to serve as Cabinet Secretary into next year.
But Mr Johnson's increasing use of individuals from the private sector could be a sign that Sir Mark may not have long left in the Cabinet Office.
The PM most recently appointed Baroness Dido Harding, the former chief executive of Talktalk, to head the government's Test and Trace programme.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8467811/Boris-Johnson-considers-replaci | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 17:20 - Jun 28 with 233 views | basilrobbiereborn |
The notion that the Cabinet Office might be dysfunctional comes as no surprise to me. | |
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| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 20:59 - Jun 28 with 225 views | ROTTWEILERS |
Blatant BRR click bait Redmond, however the idea that the PM, cabinet or advisors are in a position to call anyone else dysfunctional is laughable. A bunch of monkeys pulling levers and pushing buttons would've got it 50% right. | |
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| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 21:09 - Jun 28 with 222 views | spell_chekker |
I knew and liked Tommy and Peter Cummings in South Shore / Marton.
This other Cummings less so. | |
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| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 10:46 - Jun 29 with 206 views | spudgun |
The removing of a position of permanent secretary and replacing it with a political appointment dilutes the "talking truth to power" ethos, and the safety net of continuity, whatever ones view of Sedwill... | | | |
| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 12:28 - Jun 29 with 193 views | Imperial |
It has been very difficult for brexiteers or remainers to be impartial. Perhaps this is one time when everyone concerned needs to be on the same page. | | | |
| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 17:00 - Jun 29 with 182 views | spudgun |
I think that the terms `Brexiteer` and `Remainer` are redundant now anyway, as "Brexit is done".
Not sure exactly what the labels ought to be, but there are those who want what`s in the best interest for Britain (basically a negotiated deal with the EU), and those that want Brexit done by a set date regardless of a negotiated deal and the consequences of such an action.
The latter group might be called the` f***wits`, perhaps... | | | |
| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 12:12 - Jun 30 with 168 views | Imperial |
That is precisely my point. Without pressure the EU will sit back knowing that any delay strengthens their position.
Settlement yes delay no. | | | |
| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 19:34 - Jun 30 with 151 views | spell_chekker |
BRR, an Irishman and a Scotsman each placed a bid for a big government construction job.
"I'll do it for 30 million," said BRR. "How is that figure broken down?" asked the civil servant in charge of the scheme. "10 million for the labour, 10 million for the materials and 10 million for me," said Baz.
The Irishman was called in next and said, "I'll do the job for 60 million. That's 20 million for the labour, 20 million for the materials and 20 million for me."
"Right," said the Scotsman who found out about Basil's bid. "My bid is for 90 million. That's 30 million for you, 30 million for me, and we'll give the other 30 million to Robbie to do the job."
Goodnight. | |
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| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 19:44 - Jun 30 with 147 views | spudgun |
Are you really allowed to tell those sort of jokes now...   | | | |
| Civil Service chief Sir Mark Sedwill on 19:57 - Jun 30 with 142 views | BringBackTheRedRoom |
Theresa May has criticised the PM's appointment of his Brexit negotiator to be his new national security adviser.
Speaking in the Commons, she suggested David Frost did not have the required expertise or independence to succeed Sir Mark Sedwill in the role.
Labour said the choice of Mr Frost, who is currently leading the UK's trade talks with the EU, was "dangerous".
But Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said Mr Frost was highly qualified and would be accountable to the PM.
Mr Frost is a former civil servant, having left the Foreign Office in 2013 to work in the private sector.
He is due to take on the role at the end of August, at which point Sir Mark will also stand down from his other role as cabinet secretary, the UK's top civil servant.
Mrs May, who appointed Sir Mark Sedwill to both roles when she was PM, told MPs that during her nine years as a member of the National Security Council, she had "listened to the expert, independent advice from national security advisers".
She asked Mr Gove how Mr Frost's appointment squared with remarks he made in a recent speech on civil service reform on the need to "promote people with proven expertise".
"Why is the new national security adviser a political appointee with no proven expertise in national security?"
'Needs of the hour'
Mr Gove said there were precedents for non civil servants to take on key roles serving the PM and that the official that oversees senior government appointments agreed this was appropriate in this case.
He said Mr Frost would neither be a civil servant nor a special adviser but would have the status of an envoy.
"We have had excellent national security advisers in the past, not all of whom were steeped in the national security world but were distinguished diplomats in their own right," he said.
"David Frost is a distinguished diplomat in his own right and it is entirely appropriate that the prime minister of the day should choose an adviser appropriate to the needs of the hour."
But Mrs May was seen to shake her head vigorously while Mr Gove was speaking.
The two have clashed in the past, most notably over extremism in schools, when they were members of David Cameron's cabinet. Mrs May sacked Mr Gove when she became PM in 2016 but subsequently brought him back.
'Sharpened daggers'
The role of national security adviser was created by David Cameron in 2010. Its previous occupants, Sir Peter Ricketts, Sir Kim Darroch and Sir Mark Lyall Grant, were all senior career diplomats.
Former Foreign Secretary Lord Hague has added his voice to those concerned at Mr Frost's appointment, saying it had "raised eyebrows" and possibly "sharpened daggers" within the defence and intelligence communities.
In his weekly column for the Daily Telegraph, the former Tory leader said that while the ex-diplomat was "highly capable", the role was better suited to someone with first-hand experience of security operations.
Warning about the danger of US-style politicisation of senior government roles, he added: "If we want the most promising people to serve the country, they have to come from varied points of view.
"All of us who have dealt with US administrations have witnessed the nightmare of changing long lists of officials when a new President comes in, leading to extended vacancies, loss of expertise and serious damage to diplomacy."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53233500 | |
| ‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’ |
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