Facebook Pixel Tell us what Labour really stands for, prime minister | The Independent - newspaper - इस कहानी को Magzter.com पर पढ़ें

कोशिश गोल्ड - मुक्त

Tell us what Labour really stands for, prime minister

The Independent

|

August 29, 2025

Sir Keir Starmer is hardly the first prime minister to want to make sure they are surrounded by a team at No 10 that is effective; usually, and with little friction, the civil service ensures that that is indeed the case.

Tell us what Labour really stands for, prime minister

Many an incoming premier has, in due course, replaced their closest civil servants with people they know and trust better.

The wiring of the Downing Street and Cabinet Office machine is tangled and confusing to any novice, but - apart from the convulsions caused during the reign of Boris Johnson and his adviser Dominic Cummings - any changes to it can usually be accommodated. So it is with the latest change, the departure of Sir Keir's principal private secretary, Nin Pandit, who had only been in post for 10 months.

This is one of the most powerful and sensitive roles in the home civil service - more important than many ministers - and with such close contact with the prime minister and other senior colleagues, three fundamentals, at least, are essential: a rapport with the prime minister, an amicable relationship with senior political advisers, and the ability to get things done in Whitehall. When some or all of those elements are missing, things can go wrong.

There is nothing sinister as such in the departure of Ms Pandit, and No 10 is keen to stress that she retains the prime minister's trust and confidence. Other, anonymous sources say she “wasn't effective”, which feels unkind. But this is the third such departure since Sir Keir became prime minister.

The Independent

यह कहानी The Independent के August 29, 2025 संस्करण से ली गई है।

हजारों चुनिंदा प्रीमियम कहानियों और 10,000 से अधिक पत्रिकाओं और समाचार पत्रों तक पहुंचने के लिए मैगज़्टर गोल्ड की सदस्यता लें।

क्या आप पहले से ही ग्राहक हैं?

The Independent से और कहानियाँ

The Independent

The Independent

India survive high-scoring thriller despite Bethell ton

India won by 7 runs We wondered just how good this England team could be after they stumbled through this T20 World Cup, winning tight games from difficult positions to reach the semifinals without ever producing the complete performance.

time to read

3 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

Russia is back in the Games – and this is just the start

Ten Russian and Belarusian athletes will parade under their national flags in this evening’s Paralympic Games opening ceremony in Verona, despite condemnation across Europe

time to read

4 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

‘The focus will shift to Iran’

Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to world affairs editor Sam Kiley about his fear that the conflict in the Middle East could leave Ukraine without the weapons it requires to defend its people

time to read

5 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

Gulf crisis reveals shambles of airline passenger rights

Simon Calder wants answers after the aviation shutdown

time to read

3 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

Failed asylum seekers set to be paid up to £40k to leave

Home Office will detain and deport families with children if they do not accept the financial incentive within seven days

time to read

3 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

Trump is convincing no one with his Iran justifications

The Trump administration has been criticised for not explaining why the United States has attacked Iran.

time to read

4 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

Trump fires controversial homeland security chief

Kristi Noem had been under pressure over deaths linked to ICE raids and a costly advertising campaign that featured her

time to read

4 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

The ‘special relationship’ is a sham – I've seen it first hand

If I were ever back in government, as I was recently for just over a year as a Foreign Office adviser to David Lammy, I would ban the term “special relationship”.

time to read

3 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

LESSONS IN LUST

Wrestling with MeToo themes, college-set drama 'Vladimir' is brutally muted by the Netflix aesthetic

time to read

3 mins

March 06, 2026

The Independent

The Independent

If Trump targets Cuba after Iran, it will be fatal for Maga

Military action against the Caribbean nation would destroy the president's anti-migrant voter base

time to read

3 mins

March 06, 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size