Douglas Carswell's Blog

What to do when mandarins are the problem?

According to the Daily Mail's Iain Martin, ministers are so frustrated with obstructive civil servants, they’re starting to get a little cross.

But what to do about it, other than brief journalists about how it's all Sir Humphrey's fault? 

We should have seem this coming.  Back in early 2009, I suggested “the reason that Britain is so badly governed is not simply inept Labour ministers.  The civil servants, quangocrats and the standing apparat are as much the problem.  Changing politicians without overturning the Yes Minister farce in Whitehall, will do little to turn our country around”.  

The answer lies not in more ministerial fiat, but in making senior civil servants properly accountable.  All the top down oversight by all the special advisers in the world, won’t fix the problem. 

Nor will appointing more “non-executives” to preside over Whitehall departments, as some suggest.  Instead top public officials need to be made to answer directly to those elected non-executives we have sitting in the House of Commons.  It's supposed to be the whole purpose we have a Parliament in the first place.   

Top civil servants should only be appointed after televised confirmation hearings before Commons committees.  Their annual budgets should be subject to select committee scrutiny – and veto.

A few vetoed promotions and budgets might help focus minds on delivering in Whitehall. 

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