How depressing that the Labour party seems so bereft of ideas that all it can do as a new government is to castigate the civil service for its lacklustre performance (Starmer may view Whitehall reform as essential to his missions, 6 December). What does Labour expect? Any new manager worth their salt knows that it takes time and effort to motivate an understandably demoralised and paranoid workforce. If criticism is due, it should be made privately and with some understanding.
What the civil service needs desperately is clearly thought out policies and a commitment to change, while knowing support will be there when this is inevitably challenged. This is where Keir Starmer and his ministers’ focus and energy should be directed, and it is concerning that this is taking such a long time coming. There is no quick fix, and turning to short-term populism is dangerous. It will not help their cause.
Shirley Osborn
Kibworth, Leicestershire
• It is with a wearied sense of familiarity that I witnessed Keir Starmer’s announcement of six “measurable milestones” to accompany or supersede his five “missions” for government (Starmer accuses Whitehall of being comfortable with failure in landmark speech, 5 December). Does anyone recall Ed Miliband’s six “Ed Stone” pledges from nine years ago?
Anyone who works in the public sector has seen this type of mission statement and marketised, top-down managerialism. It lasts for a year or two, wastes some resources, has a few sycophants in middle management hitching their star to it, and then is quietly shelved for the next sloganised “initiative”. Does anyone know where the Ed Stone is located now?
Starmer was clearly a high-achieving senior manager in the public sector. His ministers resemble middle managers in the public sector – of rather variable levels of ability. What we need in this country is less managerialism and more leadership. We need doers, not marketing puff.
Dr Robert Lockie
Hove, East Sussex
• A politically stuttering Keir Starmer (Editorial, 2 December)could do well to look at Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. He will never match the oratory, but what is often overlooked is that its success was that what he said were his audience’s dreams already. He did not have to persuade, he just put into words what they felt. Trump’s “Make America great again” was putting into words what many felt. Obviously their objectives were vastly different, but their way of getting support was remarkably similar. Their dream was the dream the audience already has.
Starmer’s vision is of little interest if he is not tapping into the public’s vision. It will only be successful if the reaction is “that’s what I always thought”. With a shared vision, the country will achieve more and accept some sacrifices to achieve our aims.
Helping the left-behind is a patronising ambition – who wants to be labelled as left-behind? Attracting inward investment sounds like “Brother, can you spare a dime?” How can you be inspired by that? A positive national message is more important than any single policy or pretty-looking spreadsheet. If Starmer cannot deliver that, Labour needs to find someone who can. Otherwise Nigel Farage will be our next prime minister.
John Sommer
Bristol
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