First Edition
Editor’s Letter
Editor’s Letter
Many seasoned Civil Servants – and older readers far beyond the confines of government – will instinctively appreciate why this new publication bears the name of Jeremy Heywood. But given it is now six years since his untimely death, it is best to start by explicitly reminding younger generations about Jeremy’s distinctive contribution to public life.
Making a Difference to Country and Community
Simon Case, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, on what it means to serve
I am sure the idea of service, and what it means to serve, resonates with many of my colleagues in the Civil Service. I can think of two instances where this was recently brought into the public consciousness.
The Ten Traits of a Great Civil Servant
Suzanne Heywood on the qualities valued by her late husband Jeremy, Cabinet Secretary from 2012 to 2018.
In late August 2018, Jeremy, Jonny (our eldest son) and I drove down to Whitstable for a long weekend. It was to be our last holiday together – something we suspected at the time but were far…
Changing Government One Datastream at a Time
Laura Gilbert, Director of Data Science at 10 Downing Street, reflects on her AI and data science teams’ challenges and achievements
I joined the UK government in September 2020, six months into Covid. For nearly a decade, I’d been running a tech startup building health apps as one of the two…
A Day in the Life of… Britain’s Ambassador to Qatar
Neerav Patel on Gaza, Qatari weddings, and why it’s important to be able to play the role of a roadie
I first worked for Jeremy Heywood when he was Permanent Secretary in Gordon Brown’s Downing Street. He created a scheme to install a small number of Fast Streamers in the Policy Unit. I was one of…
My Devolution Journey: the Road from Whitehall to Wales
Peter McDonald explores the opportunities and challenges of a smaller government
Standing on an exposed common in rural Carmarthenshire, deep in blanket bog, debating with local farmers and agricultural specialists in the driving rain, was the moment I realised the true scale of my journey away…
The End of the Generalist?
Tamara Finkelstein, Head of the Government Policy Profession, asks whether it’s time for Civil Service generalists to become part of a profession
Is it time to consider the end of the Civil Service generalist? My own career experience and leadership of the Policy Profession has prompted me to ask…
An introduction to Heywood Quarterly
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Jeremy Heywood, who left us far too young in 2018 at the age of 56, has inspired many generations of UK civil servants with his passion for problem solving, his restless pursuit of new ideas, his trailblazing commitment to diversity in the public sector,…
Election Series
Heywood Quarterly Election Series: Editor’s Introduction
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Like most people, the Heywood Quarterly team was taken by surprise last month when the UK Prime Minister called a general election for 4th July. The unexpected, however, can present opportunities – so we approached four distinguished public servants who…
Transition Tips from a Seasoned Cabinet Secretary
Gus O’Donnell on some key issues likely to face Civil Servants before and after July 4th
Listen to this article (AI generated audio) Civil Servants are working frantically to prepare for all possible outcomes of the General Election on 4th July. Here are some reflections based on my experience of…
The Mysteries of the Golden Triangle
Edward Young, the Sovereign’s Principal Private Secretary from 2017 to 2023, describes the Monarch’s role in a general election…and how advisers resolved a constitutional ‘pickle’ in 2015
Listen to this article (AI generated audio) Midway through the General Election of May 2015, in the Georgian…
Defending Democracy against Deepfake
Ciaran Martin has led the Civil Service teams which run and protect the UK’s electoral process. Here he reflects on what’s been learned about digital interference
Listen to this article (AI generated audio) In the period between the calling of a UK general election and the poll…
Maintaining the Confidence of Voters
Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, on the challenges of complex legislation, dis-information and abuse
Listen to this article (AI generated audio) When I joined the Electoral Commission as Chief Executive in March, I knew my first year would be one of major…
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