Civil servants should be encouraged to provide more meaningful engagement and contribute their own ideas to policy rather than passively implementing ministerial requests.

“it'd be nice if occasionally one could get a sense of real engagement and Meeting of Minds”

Career civil servants are facing pressure to resign or be fired under the new administration, which disrupts essential government operations.

“A lot of people are angry at these at these career service people who are resigning. But it is my understanding that if you resign rather than being fired, you get to keep your pension and your benefits.”

A strong working relationship based on trust between ministers and the civil service is absolutely essential for the government to be effective.

“if I said to one thing about any prime minister coming through you've got to work well with the civil service this is your big delivery arm”