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| Tory peer Lord Maude calls for more robust culture in Whitehall | Tory peer Lord Maude calls for more robust culture in Whitehall |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Lord Francis Maude raises the prospect of civil servants being able to have more open political affiliations | |
| A Tory peer who is leading a government review of how the civil service operates has called for a more "robust culture" in Whitehall. | A Tory peer who is leading a government review of how the civil service operates has called for a more "robust culture" in Whitehall. |
| It comes after the resignation of the former Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab over bullying claims. | It comes after the resignation of the former Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab over bullying claims. |
| Mr Raab stood down on Friday after an inquiry found he was "intimidating" and "aggressive" towards officials. | Mr Raab stood down on Friday after an inquiry found he was "intimidating" and "aggressive" towards officials. |
| Mr Raab said the findings had set "a very dangerous precedent". | Mr Raab said the findings had set "a very dangerous precedent". |
| Writing in the Observer, Lord Francis Maude, a former Cabinet Office minister, raised the prospect of civil servants being able to have more open political affiliations. | Writing in the Observer, Lord Francis Maude, a former Cabinet Office minister, raised the prospect of civil servants being able to have more open political affiliations. |
| Lord Maude said Mr Raab's resignation had raised important issues. | Lord Maude said Mr Raab's resignation had raised important issues. |
| He said ministers have limited authority to put in place officials of their choice despite relying on them and being accountable for what they do. | He said ministers have limited authority to put in place officials of their choice despite relying on them and being accountable for what they do. |
| He suggested that ministers could be given more say about appointments while preserving impartiality. | He suggested that ministers could be given more say about appointments while preserving impartiality. |
| "The UK is now an outlier, and a better balance needs to be struck," he said. | "The UK is now an outlier, and a better balance needs to be struck," he said. |
| He said that other governments with similar systems, such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, "manage it better than us". | He said that other governments with similar systems, such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, "manage it better than us". |
| Raab dismissed my behaviour warnings - ex-colleague | Raab dismissed my behaviour warnings - ex-colleague |
| Dominic Raab bullying report's key findings | Dominic Raab bullying report's key findings |
| Losing Dominic Raab was a bad day for Rishi Sunak | Losing Dominic Raab was a bad day for Rishi Sunak |
| He warned that without change, "there will be more cases like Raab's when frustrations boil over". | He warned that without change, "there will be more cases like Raab's when frustrations boil over". |
| "We need a much more robust culture, with less groupthink, more rugged disagreement, and the confidence to both offer challenge and to accept it," he said. | "We need a much more robust culture, with less groupthink, more rugged disagreement, and the confidence to both offer challenge and to accept it," he said. |
| "We also need to be more robust and less mealy-mouthed about 'politicisation'". | "We also need to be more robust and less mealy-mouthed about 'politicisation'". |
| He said that other systems deal with this better. "In France, permanent civil servants often have overt political affiliations, and it causes few problems," he said. | He said that other systems deal with this better. "In France, permanent civil servants often have overt political affiliations, and it causes few problems," he said. |
| Lord Maude said that without change there would be more cases like that of Mr Raab | Lord Maude said that without change there would be more cases like that of Mr Raab |
| "Without a much closer alignment between accountability and authority, we will see tensions build and relationships fracture. | "Without a much closer alignment between accountability and authority, we will see tensions build and relationships fracture. |
| "Our system can be made to work but it needs change - difficult and sustained change. And it needs to start soon." | "Our system can be made to work but it needs change - difficult and sustained change. And it needs to start soon." |
| After his resignation, Mr Raab hit out at what he described as some "activist" civil servants, saying such a low bar for bullying would have a chilling effect on government. | After his resignation, Mr Raab hit out at what he described as some "activist" civil servants, saying such a low bar for bullying would have a chilling effect on government. |
| He said there was a risk "a very small minority" of officials "with a passive aggressive culture" were trying to block reforms they did not like. | He said there was a risk "a very small minority" of officials "with a passive aggressive culture" were trying to block reforms they did not like. |
| Lord McDonald, who worked as Mr Raab's permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, said he dismissed repeated warnings about his behaviour. | Lord McDonald, who worked as Mr Raab's permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, said he dismissed repeated warnings about his behaviour. |
| Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he wanted to learn from the complaints process highlighted in the inquiry, so similar matters were handled better in the future. | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he wanted to learn from the complaints process highlighted in the inquiry, so similar matters were handled better in the future. |
| The inquiry by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC looked at eight formal complaints about Mr Raab's behaviour during his previous stints as justice secretary, foreign secretary and Brexit secretary. | The inquiry by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC looked at eight formal complaints about Mr Raab's behaviour during his previous stints as justice secretary, foreign secretary and Brexit secretary. |
| His report concluded Mr Raab's conduct involved "an abuse or misuse of power", and that he "acted in a manner which was intimidating" and "persistently aggressive" towards officials. | His report concluded Mr Raab's conduct involved "an abuse or misuse of power", and that he "acted in a manner which was intimidating" and "persistently aggressive" towards officials. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Dominic Raab | Dominic Raab |
| Civil Service | Civil Service |