While we’re on the topic of reform… I wrote for Civil Service World this week on why the lack of reform on reward is damaging to the government’s agenda. With a new government and a new cabinet secretary we have a window of opportunity. We need to see leadership, strategy and action.

This alleged incident is "deeply concerning" in “a workplace for thousands of staff” and parliamentary authorities must “assess the risks and take immediate action to prevent this happening again”, Jawad Raza tells Esther Webber. politico.eu/article/police…

Hugely valuable analysis from the Institute for Government in their annual Whitehall monitor, highlighting problems we are all too familiar with. Turnover too high, morale too low and the many issues with pay underpinning it all. 2025 must be the year we finally see meaningful reform.

Good to see House authorities responding to this incident with action. However, there are multiple bars within the Parliamentary estate and the risks posed across the board need to be assessed. Everyone on the Parliamentary estate has a right to feel safe in their workplace.

Humbled, astonished and amused in equal measure to make this year’s Politico’s 2025 Westminster Power couple list. I feel sure it will be fleeting appearance, and back in the championship for 2026. The Luton Town of power couples. politico.eu/article/westmi…

There’s a lot of mischief making around hybrid working and the civil service gets the brunt of it. But what is the reality? On 25 Feb we launch our new report where more than 7000 civil servants shared their experience on what works and what doesn’t.

I just love how commentators like Kelvin MacKenzie seem the think that the civil service is able to just decide for itself what size it is. Ministers decide. They can have bigger or smaller, but as Musk and Trump are about to find out, take a chainsaw to it and you’ll need to own

“Ministers need to be honest about the consequences of the cuts, both with civil servants and the public”, Dave Penman tells Sky News. “The figures they’re talking about… will impact on the civil service’s ability to deliver, both for ministers and the public.”

"If they target up to 50% job cuts - as they are pursuing with the NHS England and DHSC merger – the government seriously risks undermining their own agenda" Lucille responds to plans to review quangos to cut spending and duplication of roles. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

“The Cabinet Office is instrumental in coordinating cross-government work. Cutting a third of the core department will impact the delivery of the government’s own agenda" Lucille responds to Cabinet Office job cuts. civilserviceworld.com/professions/ar…

The House will need to be clear on what it won’t be able to provide going forward- be that services supporting MPs to do their vital role representing constituents and holding the Govt to account, or those which ensure the future of the building as a safe and accessible workplace

We all want improvements to public services. A civil service that can attract the right skills is essential to that. Cutting the pension scheme will only make that harder. My opinion piece for The Times and The Sunday Times. thetimes.com/business-money…

As I told Tom Swarbrick, while it is welcome to have a government that accepts independent pay body recommendations, what we really need is a long term plan to address systemic pay issues.

"We don't want to be going year on year trying to eek out a little bit more on a one year pay settlement... What does government think people should be paid for the sorts of jobs that are delivering key public services." Dave Penman speaks to LBC

As I told Lewis Goodall, much like the spending rounds for central government, cutting public spending and public services is about political priorities. There are no mythical billions to be saved just by doing things differently.

A spending round is all about priorities. As I told Sally Bundock you can't just look at one side of the equation on numbers, those have to match what govt's commitments are. The civil service needs a clear plan on how it will deliver them with the resources it's allocated.

It’s disappointing to see that the civil service strategic workforce plan, promised with the Spending Review, will now not be published until later this year. As I told Civil Service World, this lack of detail leaves civil servants with more questions than answers. civilserviceworld.com/professions/ar…

"It can't just be the Civil Service who takes the blame" Robert Murtagh - FDA National Officer NI 🟣 told Nathan Hanna "we need to look beyond just the Civil Service" for why infrastructure projects are not being completed on time as "five out of the last eight years, we haven't had ministers in place"

You’re right Rupert. Paying pensions, supporting our armed forces, collecting the tax that funds our NHS & public services - all of which your constituents rely on every day. If you have any issues with the policies they implement, make sure you raise it with elected ministers.

The causal disdain some politicians have for public servants never fails to surprise me. Inspection of schools raises standards and supports improvement. That work benefits pupils and, as our polling showed, is supported by teachers and parents alike. No regulator is perfect, but