It's 'cowardly' to call public service a 'blob', says UK's highest-ranking civil servant

Simon Case answers questions before the Public Administration Committee. Photo: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA

It's 'cowardly' to call a public service a 'Blob', said the country's most senior civil servant in a scathing attack on the politicians who popularized the term.

Simon Case, cabinet secretary, said loud criticism of Whitehall by politicians had «undermined» the functioning of the government over the past five years.

Speaking before the public administration committee, the head of the civil service said the relationship between civil servants and ministers was deteriorating .

“Of course, I do not agree with the offensive, inhuman and completely unacceptable characterization,” he said.

«I would be surprised if the current ministers used this language, not least because if they were, it would indicate something like self-defeating cowardice.»

Sir Jake Berry, the former Conservative chairman, accused the Blob of spurring Boris Johnson's political downfall, and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said earlier this year that «the Blob triumphed» after the fire of the Brexit laws was wound down. /p>

A former cabinet minister told The Telegraph: «People who want to know what Simon Case really thinks about society should take a look at The Lockdown Files, where he mocked vacationers stuck in hotel rooms during the Covid quarantine between partying on Downing Street.

“If you ever needed a demonstration that there is an attitude born to rule in the public service that the public despises, Simon Keyes is what you need. Now that they've been discovered, the Drop is fighting back.»

Mr Case insisted the situation had improved since Rishi Sunak, who rejected the «Drop» characterization last week, became prime minister. stating that the tone used by ministers when discussing civil servants «has changed significantly».

This came when he reported that Labor had also approached another senior civil servant in addition to Sue Grey, whom Sir Keir Starmer lured to the position of his chief of staff.

“I don't know if that's the case. was done by the Office of the Leader of the Opposition or the Labor Party, [but] I think we know of another case where a high-ranking official was approached, and we know this because this person immediately reported it to his line management, ”said Mr. Case.

Jeremy Quinn, Cabinet Minister, said last week that the civil service code was «seemingly violated» after Boris Johnson's party investigator failed to declare his contacts with the leader of the opposition a few months before. leave his post.

Mr Case suggested that this might prevent Ms Gray from returning to Whitehall full-time in the future.

He said, «It's possible, in a theoretical example, that one day Sue would want to return to an official civil service career as a full-time civil servant, rather than the temporary civil servant that she would be a special adviser, that could be accepted.» into account, but it's hard to judge.»