Martin Stanley
@ukcivilservant.bsky.social
I write about, and for, the UK civil service and regulators. Author 'How to be a Civil Servant' and 'How to Succeed in the Senior Civil Service'. Previously Business Department and CMA.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Populist Right: 'We're not racist, we just want immigrants to integrate & contribute.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
November 28, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Populist Right: 'We're not racist, we just want immigrants to integrate & contribute.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
"The disconnect between what politicians pretend the army can perform and the reality of what an underfunded, shoddily-billeted, morale-depleted, poorly paid and badly supplied soldiery at risk of prosecution through legal activism can deliver is a national disgrace."
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This long piece is worth reading on the decay of Britain's armed forces to Potemkin status and the urgent need to expand and rearm them. Almost nobody with political power is prepared to acknowledge the danger we're in, let alone act accordingly. It's a massive failure share.google/i3GrnOSwTm1m...
A gross dereliction of duty | The Critic | The Critic Magazine
In 1900, more than a fifth of those volunteering to fight against the Boers were rejected for failing the physical fitness tests.
share.google
November 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
"The disconnect between what politicians pretend the army can perform and the reality of what an underfunded, shoddily-billeted, morale-depleted, poorly paid and badly supplied soldiery at risk of prosecution through legal activism can deliver is a national disgrace."
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Reposted by Martin Stanley
The "don't have an extra kid if you can't afford it" brigade get awfully upset when you suggest they don't stay in their £2m house if they can't afford it, don't they?
November 27, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The "don't have an extra kid if you can't afford it" brigade get awfully upset when you suggest they don't stay in their £2m house if they can't afford it, don't they?
Reposted by Martin Stanley
I have this whole theory, wch I can't get distracted by, which is that LLMs are going to make traditional written policy consultations completely pointless. AI will write the submissions, AI will read the submissions then play back the statistically most likely series of words
November 27, 2025 at 10:02 PM
I have this whole theory, wch I can't get distracted by, which is that LLMs are going to make traditional written policy consultations completely pointless. AI will write the submissions, AI will read the submissions then play back the statistically most likely series of words
Reposted by Martin Stanley
This used to be Politics 101, but we've become so confused about what parliamentary democracy is that it's now regarded as some kind of humiliation if elected representatives get to influence policy.
More of this, please!
More of this, please!
November 27, 2025 at 10:52 PM
This used to be Politics 101, but we've become so confused about what parliamentary democracy is that it's now regarded as some kind of humiliation if elected representatives get to influence policy.
More of this, please!
More of this, please!
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Yes, govt bent to pressure from MPs over the benefit cap.
That's how parliamentary democracy works - and why it's a good thing.
It means a leader has to carry a wider movement with them. There's a counter-pressure to the strategists in No. 10.
It matters that we elect a Parliament, not just a PM.
That's how parliamentary democracy works - and why it's a good thing.
It means a leader has to carry a wider movement with them. There's a counter-pressure to the strategists in No. 10.
It matters that we elect a Parliament, not just a PM.
November 27, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Yes, govt bent to pressure from MPs over the benefit cap.
That's how parliamentary democracy works - and why it's a good thing.
It means a leader has to carry a wider movement with them. There's a counter-pressure to the strategists in No. 10.
It matters that we elect a Parliament, not just a PM.
That's how parliamentary democracy works - and why it's a good thing.
It means a leader has to carry a wider movement with them. There's a counter-pressure to the strategists in No. 10.
It matters that we elect a Parliament, not just a PM.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
November 27, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
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(CMS = Content Management System)
(CMS = Content Management System)
I mean it is objectively hilarious that the media and government are trying to hype the OBR leak as a cybersecurity thing
When any digital manager at a large institution could tell you in about ten minutes.
Less if I knew what CMS it was.
When any digital manager at a large institution could tell you in about ten minutes.
Less if I knew what CMS it was.
Being very "well, actually", and going just by www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... - my gut feeling is that it was working as designed... it just wasn't designed for these conditions.
You know this area well, is the investigation result likely to be published?
You know this area well, is the investigation result likely to be published?
November 27, 2025 at 3:47 PM
👇🧵👇😀
(CMS = Content Management System)
(CMS = Content Management System)
Reposted by Martin Stanley
I'm still really angry about all the pre-Budget leaking.
Hugely damaging to the UK. The exit tax rumours in particular. The uncertainty didn't end with the Budget - I expect an ongoing impact on business confidence and domestic/foreign investment.
Indefensible.
Hugely damaging to the UK. The exit tax rumours in particular. The uncertainty didn't end with the Budget - I expect an ongoing impact on business confidence and domestic/foreign investment.
Indefensible.
November 27, 2025 at 10:52 AM
I'm still really angry about all the pre-Budget leaking.
Hugely damaging to the UK. The exit tax rumours in particular. The uncertainty didn't end with the Budget - I expect an ongoing impact on business confidence and domestic/foreign investment.
Indefensible.
Hugely damaging to the UK. The exit tax rumours in particular. The uncertainty didn't end with the Budget - I expect an ongoing impact on business confidence and domestic/foreign investment.
Indefensible.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Like all too many children in the UK today, I grew up poor. I am no longer poor, and I am delighted to pay higher taxes to reduce - or ideally eliminate - child poverty. 1/3
November 27, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Like all too many children in the UK today, I grew up poor. I am no longer poor, and I am delighted to pay higher taxes to reduce - or ideally eliminate - child poverty. 1/3
Reposted by Martin Stanley
BTW. Never ever schedule uploads of market sensitive or time sensitive material folks. It only takes a person putting 11.30 instead of 1.30 by mistake and there you are.
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
BTW. Never ever schedule uploads of market sensitive or time sensitive material folks. It only takes a person putting 11.30 instead of 1.30 by mistake and there you are.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Massive shoutout out to whoever handles the Royal Canadian Air Force’s social media account. They responded to every single comment on their already very solid Trans Day of Remembrance post and they responded like this…
November 22, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Massive shoutout out to whoever handles the Royal Canadian Air Force’s social media account. They responded to every single comment on their already very solid Trans Day of Remembrance post and they responded like this…
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Hello, is that Russian Supreme Military Command? SACEUR here. Now, about your invasion of E. Europe. Could you possibly put it off for a month and a half so we can get our troops and armour over from the North Sea ports?
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
The surreal 45-day trek at the heart of Nato’s defence
Europe wrestles with crumbling bridges, narrow tunnels and red tape as it plans how to move an army eastward
on.ft.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Hello, is that Russian Supreme Military Command? SACEUR here. Now, about your invasion of E. Europe. Could you possibly put it off for a month and a half so we can get our troops and armour over from the North Sea ports?
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
Banx, briilliant as ever, in the @financialtimes.com last week.
November 18, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Banx, briilliant as ever, in the @financialtimes.com last week.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Intrigued that the Labour Party has a Denmark policy - seize jewellery and assets from asylum seekers - and also an anti-Denmark policy - don’t tax middle earners enough to support welfare state.
November 17, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Intrigued that the Labour Party has a Denmark policy - seize jewellery and assets from asylum seekers - and also an anti-Denmark policy - don’t tax middle earners enough to support welfare state.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Talking to my mum she's mentioned a few times that, in the fairly quiet town where she lives, it's more and more common for the older people she chats to when out and about to say increasingly racist and ill-informed things mixed in with morning pleasantries. What are Labour playing at?
Govt minister Alex Norris is asked if the govt will take jewellery from people [fleeing war and persecution]. Norris says the govt won't be taking peoples wedding rings but they will seize assets.
November 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Talking to my mum she's mentioned a few times that, in the fairly quiet town where she lives, it's more and more common for the older people she chats to when out and about to say increasingly racist and ill-informed things mixed in with morning pleasantries. What are Labour playing at?
Reposted by Martin Stanley
The best way to understand what is actually “driving the small boats” is “if something carried a one in a 100 risk of death, would you do it it it gave you ten more years of healthy life?”
Shabana Mahmood tells Sunday Times it should take 20 years for somebody granted refugee status in UK to secure permanent status (ie, reapply 6 times) if came without permission.
Paper says Denmark has toughest settlement timeline (8 years) but UK govt wants longer
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Paper says Denmark has toughest settlement timeline (8 years) but UK govt wants longer
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Shabana Mahmood: ‘Illegal migration is tearing Britain apart’
The home secretary is planning to introduce a 20-year wait for permanent stay to end a ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers
www.thetimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM
The best way to understand what is actually “driving the small boats” is “if something carried a one in a 100 risk of death, would you do it it it gave you ten more years of healthy life?”
Reposted by Martin Stanley
A counter-claim here would be a last resort. The objective should be to extract BBC from litigation, not tie it in more messily and expensively.
A counterclaim would give Trump all the rights of a defendant as well as a plaintiff.
Would be a nightmare, given his litigation game playing.
A counterclaim would give Trump all the rights of a defendant as well as a plaintiff.
Would be a nightmare, given his litigation game playing.
November 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
A counter-claim here would be a last resort. The objective should be to extract BBC from litigation, not tie it in more messily and expensively.
A counterclaim would give Trump all the rights of a defendant as well as a plaintiff.
Would be a nightmare, given his litigation game playing.
A counterclaim would give Trump all the rights of a defendant as well as a plaintiff.
Would be a nightmare, given his litigation game playing.
There are now >5,000 individuals whose ISAs are worth >£1 million.
Hardly surprising that Ms Reeves is considering limiting this tax exemption.
Hardly surprising that Ms Reeves is considering limiting this tax exemption.
November 15, 2025 at 5:48 PM
There are now >5,000 individuals whose ISAs are worth >£1 million.
Hardly surprising that Ms Reeves is considering limiting this tax exemption.
Hardly surprising that Ms Reeves is considering limiting this tax exemption.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
The Resolution Foundation should take this as a sign of support from the editor of the Times that they haven't chosen to send out one of their credible, economically rated writers, but someone who's actually run a similarly-redistribution minded think tank, and former Tory candidate to boot
At last, a fearless @thetimes.com enquiry into the Institute of Economic Affairs’ economically disastrous effects and Policy Exchange’s pernicious legacy of division? No, just an attack one of the few think tanks that did not shape Labour’s toxic inheritance.
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Meet the elite think tank responsible for Britain’s decline
The Resolution Foundation wants to make life better for the poorest in society but its noble aims result in policy that stifles growth and penalises the rich
www.thetimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:19 PM
The Resolution Foundation should take this as a sign of support from the editor of the Times that they haven't chosen to send out one of their credible, economically rated writers, but someone who's actually run a similarly-redistribution minded think tank, and former Tory candidate to boot
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Reform's plans for the civil service (and for the House of Lords and Judicial Review) are discussed here:-
ukcivilservant.substack.com/p/reform-uks...
ukcivilservant.substack.com/p/reform-uks...
Reform UK's Plans for the Civil Service
And farewell the Lords and Judicial Review!
ukcivilservant.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Reform's plans for the civil service (and for the House of Lords and Judicial Review) are discussed here:-
ukcivilservant.substack.com/p/reform-uks...
ukcivilservant.substack.com/p/reform-uks...
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Please God can we go back to the days of Budget purdah. Two months of quiet from Treasury ministers, spads, and officials whilst they put the budget together might help to wind down this incessant speculation.
The United Kingdom really does have an unnecessarily complex tax system and adding c£20bn of fun little revenue raisers will not help. Today's newsletter:
Budget U-turn hammers UK competitiveness
Risky to raise revenue via tweaks and novel taxes, especially through rushed changes
www.ft.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Please God can we go back to the days of Budget purdah. Two months of quiet from Treasury ministers, spads, and officials whilst they put the budget together might help to wind down this incessant speculation.
This chart may surprise younger generations but, as Iain Mansfield points out in the 🧵, it's not all good news.
For all the talk of 'Broken Britain', so many things have got better.
Even a simple factoid like this gets overlooked, but it was not long ago that *everyone* directly knew multiple examples of people taken away by this at something preposterous like age 22
November 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
This chart may surprise younger generations but, as Iain Mansfield points out in the 🧵, it's not all good news.
Reposted by Martin Stanley
Former UVA president Jim Ryan, who resigned over the summer due to pressure from the Trump Administration, just shared this 12-page letter with the Faculty Senate, detailing his experience with the Board of Visitors and DOJ.
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
November 14, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Former UVA president Jim Ryan, who resigned over the summer due to pressure from the Trump Administration, just shared this 12-page letter with the Faculty Senate, detailing his experience with the Board of Visitors and DOJ.
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
Reposted by Martin Stanley
A friend of mine job hunting this year eventually concluded that the only way to get a job in her sector now is to get friends/contacts to vouch for you specifically. Any open advertised job is basically so overwhelmed by assisted applicants it's impossible to stand out
November 14, 2025 at 11:22 AM
A friend of mine job hunting this year eventually concluded that the only way to get a job in her sector now is to get friends/contacts to vouch for you specifically. Any open advertised job is basically so overwhelmed by assisted applicants it's impossible to stand out