Keir Starmer is facing fierce backlash from civil service unions after criticising Whitehall culture in a speech at Pinewood Studios.
The Prime Minister sparked controversy by suggesting that “too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”.
Starmer’s remarks, delivered during an address aimed at resetting his premiership, have prompted angry responses from union leaders who represent civil service staff.
In his speech, Starmer distanced himself from drastic reform, stating: “I don’t think there’s a swamp to be drained here.”
However, he went on to criticise what he saw as a lack of ambition in Whitehall, paraphrasing JFK by saying “you choose change not because it’s easy but because it’s hard.”
The Labour leader expressed frustration at what he perceived as an overly cautious approach, claiming officials “don’t say anything, don’t try anything too ambitious, set targets that will happen anyway.”
Starmer faces civil service revolt after PM accused of channeling inner Trump
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FDA union leader Dave Penman expressed outrage accusing Starmer of betraying civil servants’ trust.
“I don’t think the PM understands how damaging his words have been. I think they feel a sense of betrayal,” Penman told the BBC.
He particularly criticised Starmer’s choice of rhetoric, stating: “Here we are five months in with that Trumpian language that’s getting used.”
Penman added that Starmer could have highlighted “the incredible work the civil service does” instead of focusing on decline.
PCS strike action
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Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of Prospect union, warned against scapegoating civil servants for policy failures.
“Reform may well be necessary, indeed civil service unions have been saying for years that we stand ready to work with the Government,” he said.
Thomas called for addressing the “unmanaged decline” in parts of the civil service through pay reforms to compete with the private sector.
In response, Starmer promised “a profound cultural shift away from a declinist mentality” in his policy document.
The Conservative response came from party leader Kemi Badenoch, who seized on Starmer’s speech as evidence of Labour’s shortcomings.
Badenoch characterised the address as an “emergency reset” of Starmer’s premiership.
She suggested that Labour had not been “ready for government” when it won the general election in July.
Starmer’s remarks yesterday also led some to reference Boris Johnson’s former right-hand man Dominic Cummings.
Cummings, who left Downing Street after losing a power-struggle with Johnson’s partner Carrie, was keen to dismantle to so-called “Blob” to increase efficiency in Whitehall.
Responding to the comparison, the ex-Vote Leave mastermind said: “Wasn’t expecting ‘Cummings was right’ to be the relaunch news but interesting McSweeney’s team figured it out in weeks and the brain dead Tories couldn’t in 25 years.”
He added: “Years late but directionally good to see BBC headline: ‘Cummings was right!’
“Shame MPs will spend years more smashing the country up instead of smashing the Northcote-Trevelyan permanent bureaucracy that knackered the country.
“As Eurozone/EU shitshow intensifies won’t be long before the BBC runs headline: Brexit was right.”
