Working to make government more effective

Working to make government more effective

British Newspapers widely report Olly Robbins accuses No10 applying huge pressure to approve security vetting of Peter Mandelson during interrogation.
Podcast

Starmer vs Robbins: Why the Mandelson row keeps getting worse

Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Peter Ricketts joins the team to work out where a week of blame and counter-blame has left the government.

Seven days in, Westminster is still consumed by the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal. The PM has had his say. Olly Robbins – the permanent secretary that Starmer dismissed – has also given his account. So where does this leave Keir Starmer? Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Peter Ricketts joins the podcast team to work out where a week of blame and counter-blame has left the government – and what it means for an already damaged relationship between civil servants and ministers.

Plus: New IfG research on how civil servants should handle policy making in major crises.

What we talked about in this episode

People featured in this episode

Topic
Civil service Policy making
Keywords
Public appointments Ethical standards Supporting policy making
Political party
Labour
Position
Prime minister Permanent secretary
Administration
Starmer government
Department
Number 10 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Public figures
Keir Starmer
Publisher
Institute for Government

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