Britain’s civil service is supposed to be the envy of the world, seamlessly executing the will of whichever government happens to occupy the offices of state. But Mr S wonders whether the reality can be rather different. Disgruntled civil servants have toppled more than one over-mighty minister. Others have admitted actively trying to undermine government policy when it comes to Brexit.
Much like different nations, Whitehall’s various departments – and the people who inhabit them – have their own eccentricities and foibles. So to help readers out, Mr S has put together a guide for the avid Whitehall twitcher, making it easy to spot the difference between the lesser-crested FCO adviser from the bold-headed DFID PermSec:
Treasury: Economics graduate, preferably Oxbridge. Considered a job with one of the Big Four but found the proximity to power more alluring. Fully aware that a brief stint at the Treasury doesn’t look too bad on the CV.
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