Europe

UK audit office report finds multiple failings in PPE procurement

The UK government set up a “high priority lane” favouring companies referred by senior officials, ministers, parliamentarians and public servants in its PPE procurements, according to a new report from […]

Find your identity: making progress on digital ID verification

Every country wants a digital ID system – but few have successfully built them. At a recent GGF webinar, civil service leaders from Germany, Norway, and digital trailblazers Estonia and […]

UK public standards watchdog sounds alarm over politicians’ behaviour

A “perception is taking root” that public leaders are “choosing to disregard the norms of ethics and propriety” that should define their behaviour, the head of the UK’s public standards […]

UK Cabinet Office signals revival of digital spend controls

The UK government has signalled that it plans to make sign-off for departmental IT project budgets conditional on services using a new single user identity system and supporting data sharing […]

Restoring goodwill: former UK HR chief Kevin White on repairing national government’s damaged reputation

The UK’s response to COVID-19 fostered a suspicion of leadership, says former UK HR chief Kevin White – but it’s also an opportunity to revive trust in public services. The […]

UK considers in-house consultancy amidst No10 in-fighting

A new element of the UK’s civil service reform agenda emerged this week, as one of the project’s principal architects announced his departure from government. Dominic Cummings, the former Vote […]

The UK government needs a stronger centre, says former Cabinet Office minister

Former Cabinet Office minister, Francis Maude, has said the UK should strengthen the centre of government and suggested potentially creating a new Department for Prime Minister. Maude, who has been […]

Switzerland launches Green Fintech Network

Switzerland’s government has launched a Green Fintech Network to identify and propose new measures that will improve the operating environment for start-ups involved with sustainable finance and tech. The network […]

Use your intelligence: former UK spy chief on good decisions and poor information

These days, the public discourse is awash with fake news; but intelligence operatives have always worked in an environment of uncertainty and incomplete data. At a lecture last week, former […]

Former UK chancellor suggests appointing business leaders to civil service jobs

Figures from business could be brought into top civil service management roles, former UK chancellor George Osborne has told an influential UK civil service reform panel. Osborne was speaking at […]