The Power of Civil Servants

British civil servants are unique figure, required to be independent custodians of propriety and dedicated to Ministers’ priorities, yet ready to recalibrate their focus overnight when a new Minister is appointed. Often mistreated as pen-pushers or scapegoats, they are duty-bound against defending themselves in public or acting on personal principle at the expense of the Civil Service Code. Peter Hennessy and David Normington bring personal insight to their illumination of the origins and purpose of this invaluable institution. Looking closely at the mechanics of government, they assess both the longstanding threats to civil servants’ political impartiality and the new challenges posed by Brexit, providing an essential introduction to life in the Civil Service.