I emailed my old friend and asked what he would do if he were still head of the civil service. Here is his reply
“What is the function of the civil service? To help the government implement its policies. But with Brexit – the most important constitutional issue for decades – every cabinet minister has his or her own policy. Without a written constitution and with only norms, traditions and precedents to guide us, this unprecedented situation has made everyone in government into a headless chicken.
“I was merely a humble vessel into which ministers, the people’s representatives, poured their thoughts and hopes. My job was to help turn this jumble into workable policies – no mean task. We were loyal to each government and each prime minister in turn, supporting their manifestos, their hopes and their dreams where practicable, whatever our private opinions.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2RKULYZ
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