‘It makes no sense’: Minister openly criticises government decision to freeze civil service fast stream

‘It makes no sense to say...the best and the brightest aren’t welcome to serve their country,’ Greg Hands says

(AFP via Getty Images)

One of Boris Johnson’s ministers has publicly criticised the government’s decision to freeze the civil service graduate fast stream for at least year, saying it “makes no sense”.

The comments from Greg Hands come after it was revealed the highly competitive scheme would be suspended as part of Mr Johnson’s controversial plans to reduce the civil service heacount by a fifth.

He told the cabinet in May that “we have got to cut the cost of government to reduce the cost of living”, as he outlined proposals to cut the civil service to 2016 levels – a reduction of 91,000 staff.