Tensions between politicians and the Civil Service ‘Blob’ were threatening to turn into all-out war last night after Home Secretary Priti Patel denounced her own officials as ‘not fit for purpose’ – as recriminations grew over the chaotic race to become chairman of media regulator Ofcom.
Ms. Patel used words that were attributed to Labour Home Secretary John Reid in 2006. Boris Johnson, who was ‘exasperated by’ the situation in the Migrant Crisis in 2006 ordered a Whitehall Review. The Home Office has been playing a blame game.
According to sources, Ms. Patel is so fed up with the inefficiency of legal and official advisors she’s contemplated writing to Simon Case, Cabinet Secretary to detail her failings. Angrily furious civil servants responded to the description of Ms Patel as “moronic” by calling her Cabinet Minister.
After Paul Dacre’s withdrawal, No. 10 had to scramble to locate a replacement candidate for the Ofcom job. The former Daily Mail editor described the experience as an “infelicitous dalliance” with the Blob, and claimed officials wanted to stop Right-of-center candidates. After being vetoed in interview, Mr Johnson re-appointed the appointment. However, Mr Dacre became frustrated with Whitehall’s hostility and decided to take on a new exciting job in the private sector.
Tensions between the politicians and Civil Service “Blob” were on verge of turning into an all-out war after Priti Patel, Home Secretary, declared her officials as ‘not fit to purpose’.
According to a top Government source, rows are likely increase demand for a root and branch shakeup of Civil Service. The Cabinet is frustrated by the Cabinet’s ‘oppositionist’ attitude of civil service workers supposed to fulfill the Government’s wishes. They are particularly concerned about the migrant crisis. Tory MPs have warned that this issue will become the largest electoral problem in their constituents.
Cabinet critics of the ‘Blob’ argue that many of the recent problems which Downing Street has been blamed for – such as a shortage of HGV drivers – were the fault of officials who failed to anticipate the problems and were then too slow to react.
A majority of them also believe that Whitehall prevented the bold thinking needed to revive the economy following the pandemic. The Treasury was blamed in particular for the failure to implement proposed reforms.
Ministers claim that this is due in part to the legacy of Blair/Brown Labour governments which employed patronage to put ‘cronies” into public offices and partially because of traditional Whitehall institutional Leftism.
In a letter addressed to The Times, Mr Dacre stated that he was not aware of any private sector workers who might have convictions and would like to apply for public office. The process can take up to a year and your life could be on the line. If you possess independent thought and you’re not associated with Liberal/Left you’ll stand a better chance at winning the job than you’ll get in the lottery.
Ms Patel used similar words to Labour Home Secretary John Reid 2006 when an “exasperated” Boris Johnson requested a Whitehall Review into the Migrant Crisis
Dominic Cummings, a former adviser to No 10, used the term “Blob” to refer to unbending mandarins in Education Department where he was an advisor to Michael Gove.
Kevin Saunders (ex-chief immigration officer of the UK Border Force) warned yesterday that migrants “know they have won the lottery” when they arrive in Britain.
Over 25,000 migrants arrived in small boats in this year’s crossing, more than triple that of last year. In addition, there have been over 1,000 people who crossed in just two days in the past fortnight. After becoming frustrated by the inability to stop the flow, Boris Johnson ordered a review by all levels of government.
Mail reported Sunday that a senior official at the Home Office said to it: “What has become obvious is that she [the Home Secretary]Fears for her own safety and is not interested in what happens publicly. We could work together, but we have only cloud cuckoo public statements.
She comes to meetings with wild ideas and erratic suggestions. They are not going to work for any mature, sensible politician, yet she insists on it. The meetings end and officials leave the room, and texts begin flying. They call her a “moron” and “idiot”.