News

The debate over whether Britain should leave or remain in Europe shows that we are more emotional than rational – but political communicators must not get bogged down in a campaign of fear

Exclusive: Documents seen by CSW confirm that commercial staff are set to get higher base pay and work directly for the centre of government – if they're deemed up to the job. Read on for full details of the major reorganisation of civil service commercial now underway

The environment department’s top official calls on staff to confide in each other as a way of boosting morale in one of the government’s unhappiest departments

Former aide to the prime minister says officials "directly and explicitly" told Downing Street EU freedom of movement would undermine pledge to bring net migration below 100,000

Justice committee warns the Ministry of Justice against seeking to "represent the quality of its evidence base to be higher than it is" after senior legal figures criticise research into court fees

Public and Commercial Services union says it will "continue the pressure on BIS" over decision to axe Sheffield office, as staff kick off latest round of industrial action

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues on Dods People

Single Source Regulations Office chair Clive Tucker says there are “compelling reasons” to enhance his watchdog's authority over non-competitive military contracts

Exclusive: Former Home Office permanent secretary says fall in the number of female permanent secretaries is “very disappointing” – and says lack of senior women in the Treasury could be to blame

Resignation announcement comes ahead of the publication of the Taylor Review of the Youth Justice System

Former Department for Education HEO Edward Chapman sentenced to three years and four months in jail after admitting £1m fraud and obtaining money by deception – as department says it is seeking to "recover the misappropriated funds in full"

Civil Service People Survey delivery partner commends department’s bounce-back from morale doldrums

National Digital Conference sees Cabinet Office minister, officials and tech suppliers focus on changing attitudes to digital and technology in the workplace – as well as the future of automation

Exclusive CSW/Dods Research poll finds Tory MPs are much more confident than Labour and the SNP that Whitehall has resouces to deal with ramifications of a vote to leave the European Union

Chancellor threatens tax rises and says communities, transport and police budgets would get a further 5% cut if Britain votes to leave Europe – as Brexit campaigners hit out at a "blatant attempt to talk down the market and the country"

Civil servants know that condemnation from MPs can be just as damning, if not more so, when it is done courteously

Prospect union identifies parts of government where temps and contractors account for more than a fifth of all staff spend – and warns of a structural reliance on non-salaried staff

HMRC's Mark Dearnley says new company – set up to employ staff moving over from the £10bn Aspire contract – will have to abide by the Treasury's 1% pay cap, as union warns terms and conditions leading to a "drain of staff"

Key government plan to create common digital platforms still needs explaining to civil service staff, new study finds

Communities committee chair Clive Betts says councils are "worried that their spending needs and the funding of their local services will not be supported by their business rates revenue"

MPs on the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs (PACAC) committee are told that the century-old Haldane convention has been undermined by decades-long shift towards managerialism in the civil service

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues on Dods People

Special report: With just days to go until the EU referendum, civil servants will soon have more on their plates – whichever way the nation votes. Colin Marrs speaks to former senior officials and top civil service experts about the challenges a Brexit decision would pose for Whitehall, and why the alternative won’t necessarily mean "business as usual"

HM Treasury’s John Kingman, Northern Ireland Office’s Malcolm McKibbin and Department for Communities and Local Government’s Louise Casey also receive top accolades