Sir Keir Starmer has failed to apologise to civil servants after he was accused of using “Trumpian” language to describe them.
In a major speech on Thursday, the Prime Minister claimed too many people in Whitehall are “comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”, though he insisted he did not think there was a “swamp to be drained here”.
The head of the FDA, the union that represents senior civil servants, has written to him describing the remarks as “so disappointing”.
The Prime Minister was asked whether he would consider apologising during a visit to the North East.
He did not directly answer, instead telling broadcasters: “Many civil servants have said to me this is great, we really do need to get on, make this change of this technology and this AI, different ways of not just the service that we are providing to voters – which is hugely important – but the very way we are running Government.
“I do intend to drive through this reform to make sure we are delivering better for the country and, as I say, civil servants bring something very special to work, which is that sense of public service.
“It is not just a good job for them, it is also something additional they bring, and I think in that spirit we will show them the leadership to make this change, and those benefitting from this change will be people who are watching who need the services of good government.”
Sir Keir said civil servants “bring a strong sense of public service to everything they do”, but added: “At the same time, I also know that we have got to press through reform, we have got to deliver Government in a better way and actually talking to civil servants, they know that, they want that, they want that change.”
He had earlier been told he must work to “immediately rebuild trust” with the civil service after the remarks.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, FDA general secretary Dave Penman said civil servants had faced a difficult 15 years serving governments through austerity, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Mr Penman described his language as “so disappointing” and said FDA members are as “impatient for change” as ministers.
The union chief added: “Invoking the Trumpian language of ‘draining the swamp’, qualifying it, but then going on to say that ‘too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline’ is, I fear, far more damaging than you had considered when you chose those words.
“Governing is a joint enterprise between civil servants and ministers. If it is to succeed, then it needs to be a strong partnership based on trust. I would therefore urge you to urgently reflect on the impact your speech yesterday has had on that relationship.
“If you want to successfully deliver your Plan for Change, you must work to immediately rebuild trust with the civil servants who will be tasked with implementing it.”
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, said: “One of the reasons trust in politics is so low is because of politicians’ refusal to be accountable for anything. It’s always someone else’s fault.
“To blame civil servants, who every day work above and beyond to keep the country running, for failing to deliver reform is inaccurate and worse, cowardly. Accusing people who can’t answer back. Our members want the best for this country and will continue to work hard to deliver that.”
A No 10 spokesman had earlier said he would not characterise the language used by Sir Keir as Trumpian.
“The Prime Minister is setting the direction and pace that the British people expect from this Government,” he added.
