Media centre

IfG warns on coalition's final year

Political correspondent Iain Watson analyses how the parties will work with Whitehall in the final year of the Coalition.

Coalition’s final year ‘demands clarity for Whitehall'

Working arrangements for civil servants in the final year of coalition should be clarified to protect them from accusations of impartiality, new IfG r

Countdown to least predictable general election for 70 years

Guardian political editor Patrick Wintour consider factors affecting the outcome of the least predictable general election for decades.

Internal candidate emerges as Whitehall ‘CFO'

Whitehall has chosen an existing civil servant to act as 'chief financial officer' looking at spending across all government departments, the FT repor

Management info and leadership top departments list of concerns

An assessment of Whitehall departmental improvement plans has revealed that management information and leadership skills top people's concerns, accord

Britain's idle Parliament

The Economist notes that MPs have more time on their hands as a result of little parliamentary activity. 

Special advisers: focus on quality, not quantity

Peter Hoskin reviews Nick Hillman's essay on the role of special advisers in Whitehall and Westminster.

Labour to get only six months for Whitehall access talks

The Prime Minister says the Opposition can begin pre-election access talks with civil servants six months before next year's election, contrary to rec

Former Whitehall ‘spad’ reveals how ministers are kept in dark

A former ministerial aide has lifted the lid on the shadowy world of Whitehall special advisers, revealing the ways in which civil servants seek to fr

Sir Humphrey is alive and well in corridors of power