New top civil service boss named to replace Simon Case December 2, 2024 Sir Chris Wormald, a former health department boss, has been named as the new head of the UK’s civil service and cabinet secretary. Downing Street confirmed the appointment of Sir Chris, who will replace Simon Case in the head of the civil service role, advertised with a £200,000 salary, this afternoon. Wormald has led the [...]
Starmer to unveil ‘mission’ milestones and compares Whitehall to ‘oil tanker’ December 1, 2024 The Prime Minister will set out a “plan for change” with milestones set in key policy areas, or ‘missions’ to achieve the targets laid out in Labour’s manifesto, Downing Street has said. Sir Keir Starmer will this week kick off what he called the “next phase” of his government, and announce the markers for achieving [...]
Keir Starmer to set out ‘plan for change’ with ‘milestones’ for key missions November 30, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer will set out a “plan for change” with milestones set in key policy areas to achieve the targets laid out in Labour’s manifesto, Downing Street has said. The Prime Minister will this week kick off what he has called the “next phase” of Government, as he announces the markers for his “missions” [...]
Hundreds attend protest alongside Justice for Chris Kaba campaign October 26, 2024 Hundreds of people have gathered for a march in central London to protest over deaths in custody alongside the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign. Activists gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square and marched with the United Families and Friends Campaign to Downing Street. The campaign group supports the families of “loved ones lost at [...]
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it? October 7, 2024 Kremlinology is an old Cold War concept referring to the study of key individuals high up in the Soviet government. Who was in favour, who hadn’t been seen in a while, who was winning power struggles and who had been shot; Western analysts devoured such intelligence in an effort to understand who was actually in [...]
‘Grown up’ Sue Gray is looking like a political ingenue September 23, 2024 Sue Gray awarding herself a more generous salary than the Prime Minister’s betrays a high-handed and naive approach to politics, says Eliot Wilson When the BBC revealed last week that Sue Gray, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, earned more than her boss, the story developed in a number of different ways. Some felt that [...]
Sanctimonious Starmer falls short of his own standards September 17, 2024 As Keir Starmer faces questions over a £5,000 donation towards his wife’s wardrobe, the Prime Minister is finding out that decency in public life isn’t an automatic function of not being a Tory, writes Alys Denby When Victoria Starmer entered Downing Street for the first time wearing a Me+Em dress in Labour rose red, the [...]
Should Larry the cat be worried by Starmer’s new kitten? September 4, 2024 Keir Starmer may not have won over business yet, but he’s at least managed a compromise within his own household, with the Prime Minister announcing the addition of a new kitten to 10 Downing Street following a summer of negotiations with his children (a German Shepherd had initially been demanded). The Siberian kitten – who [...]
Starmer pledges ‘wealth creation’ – but can his policies deliver it? August 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has cautioned voters his government’s first fiscal statement would be “short-term pain for long-term good”.
‘Painful’ Budget ahead, Keir Starmer warns in gloomy No10 speech August 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has warned Brits to expect a “painful” Budget this autumn as he insisted the state of the public finances is “worse than we ever imagined”. The Prime Minister addressed the nation from the No10 Rose Garden as he cautioned voters his government’s first fiscal statement would be “short-term pain for long-term good”. [...]