Jordan Urban
Senior Researcher
Jordan's recent work
Who runs Whitehall?
A data-led examination of the permanent secretaries and directors general in Whitehall’s 19 main ministerial departments.
The PCS challenge on arms sales to Israel shows the strengths and limits of civil service unions
Civil service unions have a particular responsibility to show restraint on political activity.
Declining fast stream applications are a warning sign for the civil service
The fast stream is one of the UK’s best graduate schemes.
All work
How should the Foreign Office change now?
The Foreign Office must fundamentally rethink how it can meet the UK’s foreign policy aims in an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment.
Now or never for the Declaration on Government Reform
The government’s civil service reform plan, launched a year ago today, is falling flat and needs proper commitment, warns Jordan Urban.
Civil service fast stream
The fast stream is the government’s accelerated development programme for the UK civil service. But how big is it? How many different streams are ther
Government reform should be a higher priority
Sluggish progress is damaging the government's ability to deliver its Declaration on Government Reform
Anything to declare?
The government’s civil service reform programme requires increased momentum, clearer plans and renewed attention from senior figures.
The government would be wrong to force civil servants back to the office full-time
Plans to reform the civil service are premised on more flexible working
Whitehall Monitor 2022
Major reform is needed for government to respond to crises like the pandemic while simultaneously delivering long-term policy goals.
The 2019 Conservative manifesto half-time analysis
Over half of the Conservative 2019 manifesto pledges are completed or on track – but 41 pledges are at risk of failure or have been delayed.
Pay reform for the senior civil service
The government must commit to ringfencing the £45m needed to fund its promised reform of senior civil service pay or risk undermining job satisfaction