Following on from @jackworlidge.bsky.social's analysis, here are a few other interesting things to pull out from this year's civil service stats (1/3)

Jack Worlidge@jackworlidge.bsky.social · last wk.

The civil service team at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has been busy today crunching the numbers of the Cabinet Office's annual civil service statistics release... As ever, plenty of interest! Couple of bits below ⬇️

The civil service team at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk has been busy today crunching the numbers of the Cabinet Office's annual civil service statistics release... As ever, plenty of interest! Couple of bits below ⬇️

Ideal weekend reading.... A huge amount of analysis around the first week of the Burnham government from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk colleagues 👇

Rebecca McKee@rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 2w ago

It's been a busy week in government, and at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk We've been keeping up with the key moves and announcements this week, so you don't have to Here's a round up of my top picks of analysis from my excellent colleagues 🧵

If Burnham wants to do welfare reform, then No.10 must help navigate the big trade-offs (not just leave this to HMT/DWP). Putting senior people in No.10 who understand just how difficult that is should help (Cooke was a DWP adviser with Purnell 2008-09, then DWP SpAd in 2024 before moving to No.10)

Ailbhe Rea@pronouncedalva.bsky.social · 3w ago

Scoop: Andy Burnham has appointed Graeme Cooke, a former adviser to his chief of staff James Purnell, as Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit. Cooke currently advises on domestic policy in Starmer's Number 10. He takes on the policy chief role initially on a three-month transition contract.

We are hiring - just two weeks to go to apply for this rare senior role at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk working with our brilliant team to make government work better for the people of the UK!

Hannah White@drhannahwhite.bsky.social · 4w ago

We are hiring! Brilliant senior job running our new UK Government team… …looking for someone creative and strategic with experience of government who would seize this fantastic opportunity to make government work well for the people of the UK! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...

Ahead of Reeves delivering what most people assume will be her final Mansion House speech we’ve been looking at the data on how the economic picture has changed over the past two years. What is Reeves’ legacy?

The essential @instituteforgovernment.org.uk take on the Starmer premiership. We look at his record across state reform, public services and more. But also at how he approached being prime minister, where he went wrong and why. Ultimately, a government characterised by missed opportunities.

Tim Durrant@timdurrant.bsky.social · 3w ago

Keir Starmer has started his final week as PM. So what have been the big moments of his premiership, and what can his successor learn from the last two years? We @instituteforgovernment.org.uk have been having a look back... www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Nigel Farage has announced that he will resign as an MP and intends to stand in the Clacton by-election. Read our explainer on by-elections to find out how they work: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/by...

By-elections | Institute for Government

How are by-elections triggered?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Very timely as the government today confirms that Sir Anthony Finkelstein will lead the review on government's use of WhatsApp and other non-official ways of communicating inside government: www.gov.uk/government/n...

Independent Review of the Use of Non-corporate Communications Channels in Government

The appointment of an Independent Reviewer of the Use of Non-corporate Communications Channels in Government

gov.uk

Wouldn't dare to claim as much experience as Ciaran or Gus, and definitely not the two of them together, which is why it's great to see them come to the same conclusion I did for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk a couple of weeks ago: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/usin...

Ciaran Martin@ciaranm.bsky.social · last mo.

My friend, mentor and former boss Gus O’Donnell & I wrote a piece for The House magazine on the us of WhatsApp etc in government. Don’t expect everyone to agree with it but we hope you find it at least interesting and thought provoking www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Good to see that access talks with Burnham (and other 'prospective candidates'...) have been confirmed today

With another prime minister being forced to resign it is worth looking at the role in the context of recent history Since Brown took power in 2007 there has been seven (soon to be eight) PMs - compare that to the previous 30 odd years where the UK had only 3 PMs @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Keir Starmer has announced his resignation, becoming the latest PM unable to see out a term in office But he won't stop being prime minister just yet - as the process to replace him gets underway Starmer will continue to man the ship as PM (but for how long depends on the Labour leadership contest)

So. Solution they’ve gone for (and Starmer suggested he at least had considered this) is nominations open 9 July and close by recess in third week of July). That’ll be to get the MPs PLUS affiliates/ CLP If no one else nominated then Burnham becomes PM by end of July Or full contest over summer

Cath Haddon@cathhaddon.bsky.social · last mo.

So here’s a thing. How does Labour manage an ‘orderly transition’ and a coronation? Well, it’s hard because the current Labour rules mean that you can just get MP support and plan a timetable around that

With Burnham's route to No10 looking far clearer, a lot more thought will be going into what he'll do once there. So @cathhaddon.bsky.social and I have set out for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk what prep for government involves & why it's harder for leadership contenders than opposition parties👇

Cath Haddon@cathhaddon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

With most of the focus on how Burnham might achieve the top job, there is little focus on how he might go about preparing for the job itself. So @jackworlidge.bsky.social and i have looked at how mid-term prep for govt compares www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/pr... 1/

A bit of a side note, today of all days, but @instituteforgovernment.org.uk analysis of yesteday's civil service staff numbers showed the civil service is *still* growing. FTE numbers were up almost 2,800 in Q1 2026 compared to Q4 2025. Very much continuing the trend of recent years

Policy changes create winners and losers It’s a truism that losers complain more than winners are grateful But we’re on a ludicrous path if those who lose out from policy decisions demand and then get compensation That’s a recipe for nothing being decided ever

Lucy Fisher@lucyfisher.ft.com · 2mo ago

NEW: Andy Burnham has hinted at a new multibillion-pound spending commitment if he becomes PM, saying that more than 3.5mn women “deserve” compensation over what he regards as a pension scandal

Defence secretary John Healey has just resigned over the govt's Defence Investment Plan, writing that it "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time". We're getting our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk resignation chart fired back up..

New data on officials' socio-economic backgrounds out today Despite slight changes, the broad pattern remains - the more senior the grade, the more of them are from higher socio-economic backgrounds. But always very notable just how high that proportion is in the SCS!

Heloise Dunlop@hcdunlop.bsky.social · 2mo ago

New people survey demographic data for 2025 has been published - the numbers on socio-economic background of civil servants does not seem to have changed significantly from 2024 data. A very slight (1pp) increase in representation at SCS of civil servants from a lower SEB, but broadly static (1/2)

Great news from @darrenpjones.bsky.social today - fantastic to see @instituteforgovernment.org.uk recommendation on performance-related pay progression introduced. This should be just part of a promised 'fundamental review and reset' of the long-broken SCS pay system..

Hannah Keenan@hannahkeenan.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Excellent to see Darren Jones announce "performance based pay progression" for the senior civil service. It hopefully starts to change some bad incentives in the system as it is at the moment...

It's unfortunate how a political statement of the obvious ('don't cause a contest, nothing will get done because people will be distracted') has been hugely over-interpreted into purdah-type restrictions..

Cath Haddon@cathhaddon.bsky.social · 3mo ago

PSA: @samcoatessky.bsky.social on the pod this morning said a leadership contest would mean government would be restrained on decision making because gov would be 'effectively in government purdah and that principle that big government decisions go on hold'. That isn't accurate.

In the King's Speech, it was announced that the government will bring forward proposals to strengthen and improve the civil service. @alexgathomas.bsky.social says this is a huge moment for government reform. 📖 Read our view on how to achieve this www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Alex Thomas@alexgathomas.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Really exciting news in the King’s Speech - delighted to see the govt adopting our ideas to legislate to strengthen and improve the civil service. Amid the political turbulence this should be a massive moment for government reform

Occurred to me this morning that the King's Speech debates open with a proposer & seconder from govt backbenches - conventionally one an older party stalwart and one new MP. Those MPs are lined up a long way in advance. You'd hope someone's checked which side they've come down on in recent days...?

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 3mo ago

Today's King's Speech marks the State Opening of the second session of parliament following the 2024 general election. So why is it important? What happens before, during and after the speech? And how is it debated and voted on? We explain www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/ki...

I was also struck by how detailed this is. It's not necessarily unusual for oppositions to prep for govt to this extent - Labour in 2015 for example did an awful lot of in-depth work..

Iain Mansfield@igmansfield.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Agree with the contents or not, this is outstanding from the Tories - explicitly setting out a swathe of laws they would repeal, and new laws they would pass, if in power. A clear determination to avoid Starmer's mistake of arriving in No. 10 without even the glimmer of a plan.

Really exciting news in the King’s Speech - delighted to see the govt adopting our ideas to legislate to strengthen and improve the civil service. Amid the political turbulence this should be a massive moment for government reform

I think comparing the Starmer and Johnson lines is useful for defining the word 'herd'

Megan Bryer@meganbryer.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Health innovation and safety minister Zubir Ahmed becomes the fourth minister to resign today, writing that "the public across the UK has now irretrievably lost confidence" in Starmer as prime minister. See our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk ministerial resignations chart for the latest:

Westminster attention is very much not on policy issues today…but it still feels like a fitting time for two big reports setting out different visions for Labour's agenda 🧵 www.cityam.com/going-for-gr...

Going for growth? Labour groups set out competing visions for economic strategy

Both the left-wing Tribune group of MPs and the more centrist Labour Growth Group published pamphlets setting out economics policy ideas.

cityam.com

Great work from @meganbryer.bsky.social updating our @instituteforgovernment.org.uk ministerial resignation chart with Miatta Fahnbulleh's decision You can see our full list of resignations since 1979 here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

The grinding sound of bridges being rebuilt I guess this is a good message (suspect the hand of cab sec Antonia Romeo) but it’s all a bit civil-service-truth-to-power by rote More passion, curiosity and confidence should I think be the message www.thetimes.com/article/25d1...

Keir Starmer tries to heal civil service rift after Mandelson scandal

PM urges officials to keep ‘speaking truth to power’ in a letter to more than 500,000 staff following the ‘unsettling’ dismissal of Olly Robbins

thetimes.com

Some superb interviews published by the IfG ministers team today....including this nugget 👇

Megan Bryer@meganbryer.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Baker also discussed his decision to resign from the department as a result in July 2018. He reflected on his time as a backbencher organising parliamentary rebellions against the government's Brexit withdrawal agreements.