Working to make government more effective

Report

Leading a Government Department: The first 100 days

James Purnell and Sir Leigh Lewis look at the importance of the first 100 days in the tenure of a secretary of state.

James Purnell and Leigh Lewis worked together for a year and a half from January 2008 to June 2009 as Secretary of State and Permanent Secretary in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). They are collaborating on a forthcoming book on their experience of running a government department. In this extract they look at the importance of the first 100 days in the tenure of a secretary of state.

Related content

19 JUL 2012 Report

Reforming the Civil Service - CMPS

The Centre for Management and Policy Studies was a Cabinet Office body which attempted to be both a hub for thinking in Whitehall and a body overseein

05 NOV 2012 Report

Transforming Whitehall Departments 2012

Two years on from the 2010 Spending Review, this report is the first to look at how departments across Whitehall have coped with cuts and downsizing.

19 NOV 2012 Report

Reforming Civil Service Accountability

As the UK government moves forward with its plans to reform civil service accountability, this paper discusses how the Australian and New Zealand gove