Labour anger at Treasury job cuts
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A fear was growing that the Civil Service was being slimmed down to such an extent that it would no longer be able to implement the programme of an incoming Labour government, Peter Mandelson, MP for Hartlepool, told the Commons last night.
Newly promoted to the Opposition whips office, Mr Mandelson focused on reports that as many as a third of senior Treasury posts were to be axed.
Staff at the central Treasury have already been cut from 3,000 in 1982 to 1,400.
Predicting that the cuts in the Treasury were to set an example to other departments, with health and the environment next in line, Mr Mandelson said Sir Terence Burns, Permanent Secretary at the Treasury, had shown 'some dereliction of duty' by not consulting the Opposition about the changes.
'The permanent secretary has a personal responsibility, independent of the government of the day, to secure the Treasury machine for subsequent administrations.' He should have considered whether the numbers he proposed would be adequate for a Labour government.
The Civil Service Minister Robert Hughes said that after such an insulting speech a period of silence from Mr Mandelson as a whip would be welcomed by many.
There had been a lot of media 'exaggeration' about cuts. The fundamental expenditure review of the Treasury had done no more than recommended that 31 senior posts should be cut, and no decision had been taken yet.
The Government was determined to maintain an 'apolitical' Civil Service, but also one that was cost effective and efficient.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments