Where, exactly, was the First Division Association in 1974, when
Permanent Secretary at the Department of Industry, Sir Anthony Part,
proceeded to undermine the implementation of Labour Party policies, as
agreed by conference and printed in the election manifesto, by Tony
Benn?
How things have changed, that branches of the permanent government
should feel it necessary to enlist the support of the trade union
movement in order to shore up their beleaguered position. It also
reflects the continuing weakness in the position of the UK trade union
movement, that it should buy into the rose-tinted image of an impartial
civil service.
Once again it is the Independent that leads the way with this stuff.
=====
Top civil servants urge Blair to halt 'creeping politicisation' of
Whitehall
By Paul Waugh Deputy Political Editor
The Independent, 05 September 2001
Tony Blair's use of spin-doctors will come under fresh criticism
at the TUC conference this month when senior civil servants
launch their strongest attack yet on the "creeping
politicisation" of Whitehall.
The First Division Association, which represents top
government officials, is calling for a law to protect their
independence. A strongly worded motion, sure to be backed by
the whole union movement, will demand statutory protection
from political interference and a limit on the number of special
advisers to ministers.
The association, which represents 11,000 officials in Whitehall
and other government agencies, has decided to speak out after
complaints over the role of political appointees. The number of
special advisers, political appointments funded by the
taxpayer, has soared since Labour came to power, costing
£3.6m a year. Concern mounted this summer when Mr Blair
stripped his nine private secretaries of their titles and renamed
them "policy advisers".
The motion attacks "the growing trend for the Government of
the day to use senior civil servants as direct representatives on
their behalf, in turn making it more difficult for civil servants to
fulfil their role in offering independent and impartial advice". It
also criticises ministers for ignoring recommendations of the
Neill Committee on Standards in Public Life to initiate a debate
in Parliament about the role of special advisers.
A Civil Service Act should be enacted to "establish clear
principles, for this and future governments, which define the
role of the Civil Service and clarify the boundaries between it
and elected governments", the motion adds. The association
said the principles that had underpinned the Civil Service for
150 years, "including appointment and promotion on merit and
political impartiality", should be enshrined.
Mr Blair's decision to abolish the post of private secretary has
caused particular concern, with mandarins worried that political
appointees will now have unprecedented power to manage civil
servants.
Full article at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=92402
Michael Keaney
Mercuria Business School
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 Vantaa
Finland
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
