- Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:29 pm
#42873
Like always we need to dig a bit deeper.
When I was a 'civil servant' in the early 2000s one of the things I asked the proper civil servants about was how they squared their personal beliefs (and they certainly had them) with the policies they were paid to enact or enable. This was the Department for Education and we were making profound changes compared to the policies (sic) of the Thatcher and Major eras. They said they were just doing the job they were tasked to do, their personal beliefs didn't come into it, in the office they were apolitical. And they clearly were. Whilst I was there the No10 'Delivery Unit' certainly exerted pressure to push forward but no pressure was put on civil servants. All the Secretaries of State whilst I was there had very good relations with their officials, apart from Ruth Kelly who was an automaton.
Then Osborne happened, and the 'slimming down' of the civil service. Huge cuts, and the chance to make some choices. Senior roles were politicised, Permanent Secretaries were appointed to carry out specific policies about which they were expected to be enthusiastic - especially austerity.
This politicisation has continued, and can be seen in the cabinet office at the moment and through the Partygate shenanigans.
I think what we are seeing here is dunderheads like Raab (and Truss) expecting political support from apolitical officials and then bullying or firing them if they don't get it. Hence 'the blob' - the ones you can't easily bully and who don't endorse your policy stupidities.
The moneychangers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply values more noble than mere monetary profit.