The UK is now an outlier in terms of maintaining civil servants’ impartiality and continuity under different politicians – we must change to gain the robust culture we need
It is generally a mistake to draw conclusions on the basis of a single case. However, Dominic Raab’s resignation raises important issues. In our governing system, the executive is a partnership between ministers, who are usually politicians, and civil servants, who are mostly permanent employees.
At its best, this partnership can be terrific, with ministers who listen to advice but know their mind, and intelligent officials who provide objective and informed advice, are willing to challenge and persuade, and, when a decision is taken, can be relied upon to execute it faithfully.
