Whitehall Isn’t Working

Summary

Dominic Cummings' ideas for civil service reform, including cognitive diversity and efficiency improvements, are influencing the new UK government's policies, with implications for the BBC and the public sector.

Abstract

The article discusses Dominic Cummings' vision for a revamped civil service, which he presented at the Institute of Public Policy Research. His proposals include reforming, streamlining, and increasing the efficiency of the civil service. The new government appears to be adopting some of these ideas, as indicated by a diary piece in the Daily Mail. Cummings suggests appointing ministers from outside Parliament by giving them Lords status, strengthening select committees, and introducing greater cognitive diversity. The government is also scrutinizing the BBC, considering the fairness of the licence fee and the corporation's role in society. Cummings' data-driven approach and his critique of the "Anywhere class" suggest a radical overhaul of the public sector and its remuneration structures.

Opinions

Dominic Cummings' ideas are seen as a mix of brilliance and impracticality, with some suggesting that his proposals are either innovative or foolish.
The article implies a critique of the civil service's current structure, suggesting it is outdated and inefficient.
There is skepticism about the value of politicians' appearances on programs like the Today program, where they are often subjected to "gotcha" journalism.
The article suggests that the BBC licence fee is unfair, particularly to women, and may require reform.
Cummings' approach to data analysis could be applied to the BBC, potentially transforming it into a more interactive, open-source platform for UK citizens.
The article reflects a view that the public sector, particularly the "Anywhere class," is overpaid and could be staffed more cost-effectively with younger, smarter employees at lower salaries.
The potential adoption of Cummings' ideas is seen as a threat to traditional institutions like Radio 3 and Radio 4, which are cherished by some segments of society.
The article hints at the possibility of abolishing the Arts Council if an unmoderated open-source model were to be adopted for the BBC.

Whitehall Isn’t Working

Dominic Cummings is an interesting chap.

In 2014 he gave a talk at the Institute of Public Policy Research in which he outlined among other things his ideas about how the civil service should be reformed, streamlined and run more efficiency. Perhaps it is over-egging the pudding to mention the IPPR is a left-wing think-tank, but there is definitely something of the David Goodhart in Mr Cummings’ approach.

The Unintended Mirror of Dominic Cummings

It would also seem that the new government is pressing on with Mr Cummings ideas, for in today’s Daily Mail (Boo, Hiss) Harry Cole has a diary piece which includes this nugget….

“ ‘Thirty per cent of his ideas are brilliant, yes’, one Secretary of State laments, ‘but 30 per cent are really stupid and the other 30 per cent would have been done already if it was possible.’”

One can almost hear Sir Humphrey briefing this Secretary of State that Mr Cummings is ‘really stupid’ with his ideas of doing away with Permanent Secretaries.

However the really interesting part of the IPPR chat is at 36.00…

“Next there should be greater cognitive diversity. The Prime Minister should be able to appoint whoever he wants as a minister. And there is a very simple mechanism, I think, for doing this. You whack them into the House of Lords. And then you give Lords right of audience in the House of Commons and you strengthen the select committee process.”

Judging by the smoke signals the new government does have the Eye of Sauron on the BBC. There has already been the wise decision to withdraw from the Today program — quite what advantage politicians gain from being gotcha’d at every turn is not clear. Indeed, this is a topic Mr Cummings deals with earlier in his lecture, and contributes to his general theories of the unsuitability of politicians.

Though of more significance is the issue of the licence fee.

In recent days the papers have been running tales of how the licence fee is unfair to women. As we know if it is unfair to women, then something must be done. What will be done with the BBC will turn out to be half-arsed, as there is only so far riding on the skirt-tales of damsels can go before the left — ever wary of their bette-noir Murdoch — will cry foul.

Given Mr Cummings love of data, and data analysis, he could take the process further, and take the opportunity of BBC reform to make the corporation a modern tool of propaganda: by cutting back on it’s broadcast function, and instead adopt an open source model (a combination of Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook, in which UK citizens were encouraged to post content, and perhaps paid in fashion similar to Medium) akin to that proposed by Robert David Steele. Thus allowing government departments to assess the success of their messaging and policies in real time.

But first things first, and in the current political climate it is doubtful Mr Cummings would risk mentioning the name of Robert David Steele, for fear his enemies would leap upon it, to save the status quo…. or rather more importantly for them, Radio 3 and Radio 4.

Though perhaps the most terrifying suggestion to the Anywhere class is Mr Cumings suggestion that most of it is over paid, and could be easily replaced by a smart twenty five year old on a third of the wages.

It is this kind of wild talk that leads to headlines like this.

How dare he say people don’t like the Anywhere class.

btw, if an unmoderated open source model of the BBC were adopted, you could do away with the Arts Council too.