Letter: Old-fashioned civil servants
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.From Mr Fergus Allen
Sir: The critics of the Government's plan to privatise the agency that recruits civil servants are expressing themselves in the language of yesterday's people - moderate, informed, rational, principled, even ethical. This will get them nowhere. It is clear that the career civil servant, committed to public service, is an anachronism. Impartial public service is a concept to be praised from the platform but laughed at in the cocktail bar.
Dame Gillian Brown (Letters, 2 March) asks why the Recruitment and Assessment Services agency should be dismantled when the Government has made no specific criticism of it. After 17 years she should know the answer. The agency, staffed by civil servants, provides a service which could seemingly be replicated by a private operator, who would aim to make a profit from it by cutting corners.
Yours faithfully,
Fergus Allen
Streatley, Berkshire
The writer was the first Civil Service Commissioner (1974-81).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments