The Labour Party is reportedly hiring a large number of former civil servants in preparation for forming a new government, should it win the next general election.
It comes after “formidable” civil servant Sue Gray, who became a household name by leading a probe into lockdown parties at Downing Street, was hired as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff in March.
This is said to be part of a broader hiring spree across Whitehall, according to The Guardian, which says Labour has filled roles in areas such as data science, economic growth and busiess engagement.
More than a dozen civil servants have joined the party’s ranks in the last year-and-a-half, the newspaper reports, following analysis of LinkedIn profiles.
The hiring spree has reportedly been focused largely on the Treasury, amid concerns a new government would inherit exisiting public finance woes.
Nick Williams, who previously spent nearly six years at the Treasury as a policy adviser, was reportedly hired by Labour in spring.
Three other senior Treasury officials have joined shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves’ team in the last 18 months, The Guardian reports.
Labour’s hopes for victory at the next election - which can take place any time until January 2025 - have been given a shot in the arm by a new study which found nine out of 10 Brits want new leadership.
The exclusive Ipos Mori survey for the Evening Standard also found six in 10 adults want the next election to take place before the end of June 2024.
Labour enjoy a 20 per cent lead in the polls, and the Conservatives held only one of the three seats being contested in recent by-elections.
Alex Thomas, a programme director at the Institute for Government, told The Guardian Labour’s wave of hirings shows the party is thinking strategically about the depth of experience its staff will need if it wins.
“It reflects where we are in the political cycle, around a year out from the election,” Mr Thomas told the newspaper.
“The benefit of hiring ex-civil servants is they are people who understand the institutional architecture of Whitehall, so know how to get things done in government, which is a different skill from the campaigning skills of opposition.
“The party have some shadow ministers who’ve been in government before, but the civil service is another source of expertise regarding how to translate a political idea into reality. It’s helpful to have people who know where the power lies and how the sausage gets made.”
