The public sector must be reformed to speed up decisions, strip away layers of management and unlock the potential of its staff, the recently retired head of the UK’s Armed Forces has said.
In a blistering attack on the Whitehall ‘Blob’, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin claimed the state ‘isn’t working’ and is in need of an urgent overhaul.
The former Chief of the Defence Staff was speaking of his own experiences of dealing with the Ministry of Defence, but added: ‘It is probably true of the whole government.’
He said billions of pounds of additional investment in defence will be squandered without major changes.
In his first interview as a civilian, Admiral Sir Tony said: ‘We lack real accountability. We fail to take risk. We would rather waste money than risk money.
‘Reduce the power of anyone to say ‘no’ and impose the power of ‘yes’. Reduce levels of control and reduce levels of hierarchy.
‘Preference the frontline not the backroom. You are much more innovative if you are about to be shot.’
Admiral Sir Tony pointed out that officials from other government departments even get to interfere with decisions in other areas and block changes.
In a blistering attack on the Whitehall ‘Blob’, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin claimed the state ‘isn’t working’ and is in need of an urgent overhaul
He told the Institute for Government the situation is so severe billions of pounds of additional public investment could be squandered due to a failure to reform defence.
He said: ‘It is not happening as strongly and as quickly as it needs to.
‘We need to understand what and we need to put it right.
‘If we don’t we won’t look after our amazing people or unlock their potential, miss the technological opportunities and not keep the nation as safe as we could.’
