Sacked prisons chief demands agency voice
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.The heads of Government agencies must be able to speak out on the impact of ministers' decisions, Derek Lewis, the sacked chief executive of the Prisons Agency said yesterday, writes Nicholas Timmins.
Mr Lewis, who was removed by Michael Howard, the Home Secretary, last October, said that without that, ministerial accountability is "seriously undermined" and agencies "will increasingly be led by emasculated political poodles".
Speaking at a Campaign for Freedom of Information conference in London, Mr Lewis said that ministers are left free to impose "half baked" policies or set the agencies "wholly unrealistic" performance targets.
Inquiry recommendations following the escapes from Whitemoor and Parkhurst prisons would cost "millions of pounds", he said. But the public had a right to know that management believed that was not good value for money.
Without the ability for agencies to speak out, ministers would to categorise all difficult issues as "operational", thus placing blame on the agency. The result would be to "give ministers authority without responsibility; and agencies responsibility without authority".
Polly Toynbee interview, page 15
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments