Simon Case accuses minsters of ‘self-defeating cowardice’ over attacks on civil service ‘blob’
Ministers who attack the civil service as “the blob” are guilty of using “dehumanising” language and “self-defeating cowardice”, the UK’s top mandarin has said.
Simon Case, the country’s most senior civil servant, said he had witnessed an “increased number of attacks” on the civil service that had “undoubtedly undermined the good functioning of government”.
The cabinet secretary said the last five years – spanning the premierships of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and now Rishi Sunak – had seen a “deterioration in relations between officials and politicians”, although he said the situation had improved since Mr Sunak took office.
In recent years a number of ministers and former ministers have taken to blaming “the blob” – a byword for the civil service – for their frustrations over policy, most notably Brexit.
Asked about attacks on the establishment “blob” by current and recent ministers, Mr Case said: “Obviously I don’t agree with a characterisation which is insulting, dehumanising, totally unacceptable.
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“It would surprise me if current ministers were using this language, not least because if they were it would indicate something akin to self-defeating cowardice.”
He added: “Self-defeating because insulting the people who work for you, who are delivering public services on your behalf, advising you day in and day out… and cowardice because you know these people can’t answer back.”
Mr Case made the comments as he appeared in front of parliament’s public administration and constitutional affairs committee on Wednesday.
During the session, he referenced a recent incident in which the Tory chairman, Greg Hands, was forced to apologise to union bosses after a message was sent out by the party accusing civil servants of being part of an “activist blob”.
The email was sent to supporters under the name of Home Secretary Suella Braverman, claiming an “activist blob of left-wing lawyers, civil servants and the Labour Party” had prevented the government from stopping migrants on small boats coming to the UK.
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Sue Gray ‘broke civil service code’
Former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg also accused Mr Sunak of “surrendering” to the “blob” after he decided to scale back post-Brexit plans to scrap EU laws.
Elsewhere in the session, Mr Case denied suggestions that the departure of Sue Gray from the civil service to join the Labour Party had stoked concerns about its impartiality.
Mr Case said he believed some people had sought to “weaponise” the row amid broader attacks on the civil service.
Responding to questions from Tory MP David Jones, Mr Case said: “Actually, it has been particularly important that we assure ourselves and ministers that ministers are comfortable and happy that the impartiality of the civil service has been upheld. They are satisfied it has.
“Undoubtedly, there are people who have sought to weaponise this case.”
Ms Gray, who became a household name when she investigated the partygate scandal that engulfed Mr Johnson’s premiership, was approached by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer about whether she would be interested in a role with the party while she was a civil servant.
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A subsequent investigation by the Cabinet Office found that Ms Gray – who will join Labour as Sir Keir’s chief of staff in September – broke the civil service code by discussing the job with the party leader and not declaring the contact.
However, the post-government appointments watchdog, the advisory committee on business appointments (Acoba), approved her appointment but said there had to be a six-month break between her quitting and her starting at Labour to avoid “a potential risk to the perceived impartiality of the civil service”.
Mr Case said that while there was “quite a lot of shock” when the news broke, he ultimately did not think Ms Gray’s move had undermined the impartiality of the civil service.
England have booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Euros after knocking out Sweden.
The Lionesses won 3-2 on penalties at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland, after clawing their way back to take the game into extra-time.
The defending champions had been 2-0 down at half-time after goals from Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani and Stina Blackstenius in the quarter-final clash.
England then levelled matters towards the end of normal time. Lucy Bronze delivered the first England goal on 79 minutes, assisted by substitute Chloe Kelly. Two minutes later, Michelle Agyemang followed suit, taking the score to 2-2.
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton (R) celebrates with teammates after the side beat Sweden. Pic: AP
Bronze’s penalty kept England’s hopes alive. Pic: Reuters
After a goalless extra-time, it was time for penalties.
Alessia Russo kicked things off, finding the back of the net for England, before Lauren James, Alex Greenwood, Beth Mead and Grace Clinton had their attempts saved by Sweden’s Jennifer Falk.
The game was sent into sudden death after Falk went face-to-face with England’s Hannah Hampton but sent the ball flying over the crossbar.
Pic: Reuters
A devastated Sweden. Pic: Reuters
It all came down to Sweden’s seventh penalty after Bronze sensationally scored, with 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg missing the chance to send her team through.
England will next face Italy in the semi-finals in Geneva on Tuesday.
‘That was crazy’
England boss Sarina Wiegman described the action as “one of the hardest games I’ve ever watched”.
Sarina Wiegman after the match. Pic: Reuters
“We could have been out of the game three or four times, when you’re 2-0 at half-time it’s not good,” she said after the match.
“Although we started really bad, at the end it got better, but we didn’t create anything so we had to change shape, and we score two goals – that was crazy.
“We miss a lot [of penalties], and they miss even more. I need to decompress, I think.”
Hannah Hampton still delivered with one nostril down. Pic: Reuters
Goalkeeper Hampton added that it was “stressful watching” and “stressful playing”.
The 24-year-old, who was left with a bloodied nose in extra-time, said: “Every time I saved one, I was just thinking ‘please put it in, so we have a bit of a cushion!’
“To be honest, I think I was better in the game when I had one nostril than when I was completely fine!”
She said it was the support of the England fans that helped the team push on. She said: “They were definitely behind me and I appreciate all the support.”
Michelle Agyemang reacts after levelling the game for the Lionesses. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
Pressure was on the Lionesses after they won the tournament in 2022.
Their journey in the group stages started with a 2-1 defeat to France, but hopes were lifted after England sailed past the Netherlands and Wales to reach the knockout stages, finishing second in Group D.
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Sweden on the other hand went into Thursday’s game unbeaten in the tournament so far, having already defeated Germany, Poland and Denmark in the group stages.
By the time Hannah Hampton appeared in the news conference, the England goalkeeper was relieved, ecstatic and wanting to share this night far and wide.
So when her phone started ringing with a FaceTime call, she broke off speaking to the media about reaching the Euros semi-finals to answer it.
And then share the call with the room in Zurich.
After such a nerve-shredding night, this was the moment to relax and just savour it all.
Savour how close they came to throwing it all away against Sweden before staging a stirring comeback inspired by Lucy Bronze.
The 33-year-old scored the goal that began the fightback with 11 minutes to go and converted England’s final penalty in the shootout.
Lucy Bronze converted England’s final penalty. Pic: Reuters
“Lucy Bronze is one of a kind,” England manager Sarina Wiegman said. “It’s that resilience, that fight. I think the only way to get her off the pitch is in a wheelchair.”
The Lionesses looked down and out, 2-0 down after 25 minutes.
Completely outplayed. A defence run ragged. Just too sloppy.
“We said at half-time we don’t want to go home,” Hampton said. “So it’s up to us to turn the game around.”
Things were not looking good for England by half-time. Pic: Reuters
But the team managed to turn things around. Pic: Reuters
That only came after Wiegman deployed the substitutes the manager calls “finishers”.
They fulfilled their mission.
“Sweden in that moment had to adapt to some different things in the game,” Wiegman said, “before they could, it was 2-2.”
Within seconds of coming on, match-winner Chloe Kelly showed the missing spirit. The spirit that saw her score the Euro 2022 winner.
Pic: Reuters
A creator of two goals in 103 seconds.
A cross headed in with 11 minutes to go by Bronze – the only player still playing from the Euro 2013 group-stage elimination.
It was a lifeline seized on so quickly.
Another cross from Kelly was this time brought down by Beth Mead before Michelle Agyemang.
The timeliest of goals from the teen – a first tournament goal on her third appearance as a sub.
Teenager Michelle Agyemang reacts after scoring England’s second goal in normal time. Pic: Reuters
But there would be the anxiousness of extra time to follow, unable to find a breakthrough.
So to the shootout that lasted 14 penalties between them.
Hampton said: “It was stressful watching and playing, I thought every single time when I saved one, ‘Please score and give us a cushion’. I feel so happy and relieved.”
Around Alessia Russo and Kelly scoring there were four England misses before Bronze converted England’s seventh and Sweden missed a fifth.
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A frenzied 3-2 shootout win was complete.
“I can’t remember anything like this,” said Wiegman, who has only reached finals in her four tournaments with the Netherlands and England.
“I thought three times we were out,” she said.
But instead it’s off to Geneva for the European champions for a semi-final with Italy.
They’ll be hoping it’s less of a struggle, less dramatic – while just glad to have made it there.
Felix Baumgartner, the extreme athlete who once jumped from the edge of space, has died in a paragliding crash in Italy.
The 56-year-old Austrian lost control of his motorised paraglider while flying over Porto Sant’Elpidio in the central Marche region.
He then fell to the ground near the swimming pool of a hotel. The reasons for the accident were unclear.
According to reports, he fell ill and lost control.
Pic: AP
During the fall, he is thought to have hit a hotel employee, who was taken to hospital with neck injuries, according to Sky Sports Austria.
She was reportedly injured by a piece of debris that had been dislodged during the vehicle’s impact.
The mayor of Porto Sant’Elpidio, Massimiliano Ciarpella, offered the town’s condolences for the death of “a symbol of courage and passion for extreme flights”.
Mr Baumgartner is best known for smashing the world record for the highest skydive after leaping from the edge of space in October 2012.
He ascended to 128,097ft in a pressurised capsule suspended beneath a giant helium balloon.
He then jumped out, freefalling for four minutes and 19 seconds before opening his parachute.
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He made the historic jump over Roswell, New Mexico, reaching a peak speed of over 833mph (1,343kph).
Mr Baumgartner’s altitude record stood until 2014 when American computer scientist Alan Eustace did a jump from a height of 135,890ft.
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