🔎How are officials recruited to the civil service? How is civil service recruitment regulated? Can ministers be involved in civil service recruitment processes? See our latest explainer from Sameer Aiyar-Majeed Jack Worlidge and Alex Thomas instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/civi…

Dennis Trevelyan obituary - RIP Also a testament to the familiarity of civil service reform and appointment controversies Civil servant who butted heads with Thatcher thetimes.com/article/5069b6…

After a change of government it’s OK for ministers to bring in new people But civil service impartiality requires restrained use of the ‘exceptions’ process, especially for the recently politically aligned, and more transparency Some thoughts from me instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/more-t…

Monday night in a wet Washington (State, not DC)

Am happy to correct Henry when he says he doesn’t know of any similar appointments. David Cameron appointed Laura Wyld - a former Conservative campaigns staffer - to the key civil service job of leading the No10 Appointments Unit. She was later made a Conservative peer…

youtu.be/iE86cYsIVUU?si…

Nice article that quotes our report on the centre of government: “No 10 is underpowered but compulsively involved in detail, with ambiguous structures that undermine the clarity of instruction from the prime minister and encourage infighting.” Institute for Government

The government's approach to civil service appointments has been an unforced error There are clear and established ways for ministers to bring in outside expertise into government, writes Hannah White instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/civil-…

🎧Appointments of contention On this week's Inside Briefing podcast episode Henry Hill of ConservativeHome joins Jill Rutter Alex Thomas and Hannah White to discuss the government's recent appointments instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/inside…

“Air Force One” (and also Concorde) The excellent Museum of Flight, which did, to be fair, correctly describe the plane everywhere apart from the first picture here, which is certainly forgivable The Museum of Flight

NEW report today: How can the government meet its housing targets? The latest in our chronic policy problem series - we look at why past governments have failed to meet their targets and 10 principles the government should follow to set a better record. instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/ho…

The First Civil Service Commissioner has today written to departments to inform them that the Commission will be carrying out a short review of appointments made by Exception at delegated grades. More details here: bit.ly/3AUX02X

EVENT: Parliament returns: What next for British politics? As MPs return from recess, join us on Monday 2 September for an expert preview of the challenges and opportunities ahead for the government. With Jill Rutter Alex Thomas Giles Wilkes Nick Davies instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/parliame…

The new Lib Dem MP who got a "well done" text from Sue Gray Tali Fraser speaks to Calum Miller, MP for Bicester & Woodstock, about his journey from Whitehall to the Commons Rupert Harrison, his Tory rival in Bicester, was his colleague during coalition politicshome.com/news/article/i…

This is good There do seem to be some conniptions about the next NSA… Appoint the best, keep it separate from the cabinet secretary and build on what has worked esp since the 2010 creation of the job

Labour made unforced errors but are right to want more outsiders in govt. Me Institute for Government arguing for - CS Commission to know about party affiliation before approving exceptions - PAD roles to be formalised & expanded - CS recruitment to be overhauled bit.ly/3yTeVGV

This is a brilliant new resource from Institute for Government colleagues - enjoy as your latest time-sink

A sad example of government failure - this seems like it is being managed as calmly as possible, with safeguards, but it should not need to happen. The prisons crisis is such a sorry and predicted problem