Slater … "Former head of the Home Civil Service, Sir Bob Kerslake, who has worked as a Labour advisor, called the sacking "a disgrace", telling Times Radio that senior civil servants were "carrying the can for the failure of ministers".
The ministers who should be resigning because of their political decisions have just refused to take responsibility and are laying into these civil servants, the unfortunate fall guys and galls for ministerial incompetence.”The prime minister on Wednesday suggested the exams fiasco, which saw thousands of results reversed, had been caused by a Low temperatures over August bank holiday see out ‘extreme’ month of weatherSchool to set strict coronavirus misbehaviour rulesBrexit briefing: 122 days until the end of the transition periodTeachers raise concerns about schools reopening in survey ahead of returnDiana’s sons face turbulent times 23 years after her deathMillion Person March protest against systemic racismCoronavirus in numbers: Global cases top 25 millionBrexit briefing: 123 days until the end of the transition periodBrexit briefing: 124 days until the end of the transition periodCovid-19 restrictions lifted in parts of northern EnglandUK lacked 'a sense of strategy' during Covid-19 response, think tankA Black Lady Sketch Show review – bite-size comedy as you've never seen it beforeMeghan Markle rocks double denim like a pro as she makes poignant new appearanceMason Greenwood: 'The biggest thing I learned was to be level-headed'Taxpayer to keep GWR on the rails: Train operators struggle as commuter numbers remain hugely reducedThe Philips Fidelio B97 is a premium Dolby Atmos soundbar with detachable surroundsAstra seals deal to mass produce its Covid jab, as it begins large-scale human trials in the USMcLaren 720S gets car shield, but does it actually work?Budget carrier Wizz Air will create 5,000 jobs if it lands extra slots at GatwickSouth Africa registers more than half a million coronavirus casesDeath on the Nile is a "lusty" version of Agatha Christie mysteryMartinez to Barcelona not a possibility, claims Inter chiefTrump's gift for sterling: The dollar has a history of weakening ahead of US presidential elections, says ALEX BRUMMERThe best 1TB SSD 2020: Top terabyte solid state drivesEastEnders star Letitia Dean admitted she had 'anxiety' about returning to work after lockdownDVLA increases automatic driving licence extension to 11 monthsTravel firms are wrong to deny parents refunds for cancelled school trips, watchdog rulesM&S's Percy Pig Phizzy Pop Looks Refreshing As HellFacebook axes Russian troll farm recruiting 'unwitting' US journalists to sow political discordClara Amfo 'signs up' for Strictly Come Dancing 2020 as Radio 1 DJ 'one to watch'Cath Kidston up to 70% off sale: 12 items we're adding to our basketUS Open 2020: Murray rallies from two sets down to complete epic comebackAnn Summers cracks whip over shop rents: Lingerie chain threatens its landlords with store closuresThe best cheap headphone deals and sales for September 2020First American dosed in Oxford's final trial for its COVID-19 vaccineDVLA to automatically extend thousands of expired driving licences - check yours nowUAE's warm welcome to Israelis reflects changing regionThe Queen Has Reportedly Never Tried Pizza And We Feel Bad For HerHolidaymakers returning to Wales from Zante asked to quarantine for 14 daysExclusive: Steve Coogan confirms This Time with Alan Partridge series 2The Pandemic Changed Shopping — These Are The 29 Things We’re Still BuyingDundee United launch Mark Connolly probe after coronavirus guidelines breach accusationSavers trapped in frozen property funds until 2021 with watchdog still to bring in new rulesBest indoor TV antennas 2020: 6 great digital TV antennas for inside your homeWe drive the The Little Car Company electric Bugatti Type 35 toy racerGalaxy Has Launched Caramel Truffles And They Look OutrageousAsda superstore hit by coronavirus outbreak 'allowed shoppers in without masks'BTS: K-pop stars become first all-South Korean act to top US singles chartsCardi B celebrates becoming the new face of BalenciagaMan Utd starlet Greenwood 'wants to break records' after maiden England call-upFemale stock pickers have done better than men during investment industry's pandemic rollercoaster rideApple, Google build virus-tracing tech directly into phonesWhat does your period colour say about your health?Man draws a race track on his drive for a bike-riding boyShare your summer holiday highlight for the chance to win a £200 holiday voucherUK lacked 'a sense of strategy' during Covid-19 response, think tankA Black Lady Sketch Show review – bite-size comedy as you've never seen it beforeReturn of Dáil a 'matter of urgency', says Mary Lou McDonald
But the civil service union accused No 10 of "discarding" its members to "keep scrutiny from the government's door". By Mohammed Kaleem on August 27, 2020 . Since May 2016, he has been Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education.
Jonathan Slater (born 29 November 1961) is a British civil servant. Jonathan Slater was told yesterday to leave his post by Monday as the prime minister said there was a need for “fresh leadership” at the department. Picture copyright PA Media. "He accused the government of "scapegoating" civil servants and claimed trust between ministers and civil servants was "at an all-time low".The Labour Party also condemned the move, saying civil servants had "time and time again taken the fall for the incompetence and failures of ministers".Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: "Parents will be looking on in dismay at a government in complete chaos just a matter of days before children will return to schools. The new behavioural guidelines have been issued to parents as many schools prepare to welcome children back into their classrooms in England this week.Brexit briefing: 122 days until the end of the transition periodThe UK left the European Union on January 31. So, what does the departure of Jonathan Slater mean - and why does it matter? The chief civil servant on the Division for Schooling has been sacked following the row over A-level and GCSE leads to England. For his union, the FDA - and for Labour - it is straightforwardly a sign that, when things go wrong, the buck now firmly stops with the officials and not government ministers.Angry Conservative MPs were being privately reassured that "heads would roll" after the exams controversy.And now, both a senior civil servant and the head of Ofqual have now departed, while Gavin Williamson and his education ministers remain in post. "Leadership requires a sense of responsibility and a willingness to be held accountable, qualities this prime minister and his ministers utterly lack. These are external links and will open in a new window So a strategic rethink and an increased turnover of senior Whitehall personnel are probably not entirely unrelated.But what might worry senior civil servants more is they might be sacrificed for short-term news management, rather than as the result of any strategic master plan.And there is a risk that this, in turn, might affect the quality of those who apply for senior civil service roles in the future.The president takes his law-and-order message to a troubled Wisconsin city, spurning the mayor and governor.