Starmer to unveil '£45bn' civil service digital jackpot

Sir Keir Starmer will put thousands of civil servants on job alert today as he hails a “£45bn jackpot” from digitalising government services.

- DAVID MADDOX

The prime minister will make the claim in a speech linked to announcements over the weekend about reforming Whitehall to cut costs.

In a worrying sign for many civil servants he will insist that jobs should not exist if artificial intelligence (AI) or computers can do them better.

Sir Keir will hail a “new era” in government operations and while ministers have refused to set a target on how many jobs may be scrapped, his words suggest a potential major reduction.

The prime minister is expected to say: “The great forces buffeting the lives of working people, and an era of instability driving in their lives. The need for greater urgency now could not be any clearer. We must move further and faster on security and renewal.

“Every pound spent, every regulation, every decision must deliver for working people. “If we push forward with the digitisation of government services. There are up to £45bn worth of savings and productivity benefits, ready to be realised.