Words: Zoe Dickens
Sir Jonathan Jones. Sir Mark Sedwill. Simon McDonald. Philip Rutnam. Sir Richard Heaton. Jonathan Slater. What do all these people have in common? Until recently they were all senior members of the Civil Service – and in the last six months they’ve all resigned or, as many see it, been forced out.
And while this steady stream of departures has been ongoing for months, this week things really stepped up, with more high-level resignations announced in a dramatic fashion. The causes have officially been varied: Brexit, the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, internal tensions. In reality, however, all signs point to one culprit – Dominic Cummings.
Boris Johnson’s right-hand man has never been shy about his desire to reform the civil service and now, as Downing Street’s top team moves to a new ‘control centre’ in Whitehall and he promises a “hard rain” is on the way for everyone else, it seems his plans are finally coming to fruition. But what exactly is it he wants? What will the civil service look like when he’s done? And why does nobody else seem to be on board?
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
