London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

Radical shake-up of civil service comms to be in place by April 2022

Radical shake-up of civil service comms to be in place by April 2022

Voluntary redundancies considered as part of No 10 plan to slim down and centralise communications teams
Downing Street has ordered that a radical shake-up to slim down and centralise civil service communications teams as part of a major Whitehall overhaul should be in place by April 2022, a leaked memo reveals.

The plans could include ordering cuts to staff at arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) that scrutinise government. Staff were told that voluntary redundancies could be considered, despite the memo acknowledging staff were “exhausted and feeling the impact of being away from your friends, families and colleagues”.

In the leaked memo from Alex Aiken, the civil service chief in charge of communications, staff were told that Boris Johnson is pushing ahead with plans for major Whitehall overhaul, despite the departure of his chief of staff Dominic Cummings, who had made civil service reform a key part of his agenda.

“The prime minister has been clear he expects the major structural changes to be delivered by April 2022, and the new operating model for [government communications] is an important first step,” the memo to staff said.

Questions have been raised about the extent to which the overhaul will affect communications staff at ALBs like regulators such as Ofcom or the Office for National Statistics, some of which have roles scrutinising government. Around 60% of government communications staff work in ALBs, the strategy says.

Though it suggests those staff will not be brought under the centralised system, it warned there are still aims to make cuts to the workforce.

“Our focus is less about a single employer model … As with departments, it is right that we consider the size of their communication functions,” it says.

Amy Leversidge, assistant general secretary of civil service union the FDA, said the announcement would “set hares running for staff who will be concerned that this crosses a line and that ALBs should be able to determine the size of their teams based on what is right for them, based on their experience, expertise and understanding of the complexities of their areas”.

The memo from Aiken says teams and individuals will have their situation confirmed by the autumn. “This will include future models, team sizes, roles and processes being confirmed, consulted and implemented by April 2022,” Aiken says.

He confirmed the government is “exploring the potential for voluntary exit schemes” in order to cut staff numbers, “as well as continuing work around how we can become a smaller, more unified profession”.

The move will be a major overhaul of civil service press offices, including social media teams and designers who will be working for a central government employer rather than their individual department.

Leversidge said the memo would increase uncertainty and anxiety. “The message today that GCS are ‘exploring voluntary exit schemes’ will heighten fear among staff who are already concerned that there will be reductions in the numbers of comms staff,” she said.

“The fact that GCS have not discussed voluntary redundancies with the trade unions will leave staff feeling that decisions are being made about them without any consultation with them.”

The plan to centralise communications was first announced as part of a blitz of measures to extend Downing Street’s central control across the civil service.

The measures for centralising communications have long been mooted, predating Johnson, but previous internal documents have said they have been spurred on by the prime minister’s personal backing.

The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×