Archive: Government And Administration

'No-one cares' about coalition's accountability push

Members of the public haven't leapt with delight at business plans

A major push to open up government departments launched one year ago is not succeeding because of a lack of interest from politicians, journalists and the public, a thinktank has warned.

Civil service 'needs to be more accountable'

Civil servants 'should be more accountable'

Ministers tackle the paperclips

Government's efficiency spotlight turns on stationery and office services

Improving the way the government purchases its stationery and office services has already saved £1 billion, Francis Maude has announced.

Lib Dem MPs 'want more ministerial access'

Guess the minister.... this one's William Hague. Photo: www.politicalpictures.co.uk

More discussions before policies reach parliament could help prevent future internal coalition arguments, Liberal Democrat MPs have claimed.

Huhne lashes out at Warsi as AV debate tests Cabinet unity

Huhne: 'Facts not fears, substance not smears'

Chris Huhne has issued an extraordinary attack on Baroness Warsi, as splits over the AV referendum divide the Cabinet.

Revealed: The £16.4bn cost of central government pay rises

Pay rises in central government have seen costs spiral upwards to hit £16.4 billion, according to official figures.

Historians take on businessmen in AV battle

The battle for electoral reform took a strange turn today as businessmen clashed with historians in the letters pages of newspapers.

Forest U-turn triggers crisis of confidence in No 10

Downing Street: Firming up policy and departments

The U-turn over selling off England's forests appears to have triggered a crisis of confidence in Downing Street, with debate starting over how to prevent any further blunders.

Sarah Brown lifts the lid on life at No 10

Sarah Brown: 'We were charged for every rasher of bacon he'd ever had'

Sarah Brown has revealed the strange details of life in Downing Street, with bemusing stories of Silvio Berlusconi, George Clooney and the price of breakfast at No 10.

Celebrities and strange bedfellows: AV campaigns heats up

Bafta winners Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter have been named as supporters of the 'yes' campaign

The two camps in the AV debate unveiled their troops today, with the 'yes' vote promoting their celebrity support while the 'no' vote relied on heavyweight politicians.

Government loses pivotal AV vote

Lords defeated the government by just one vote

The government has lost a knife-edge vote on the referendum on AV, after the Lords reacted angrily to threats from party officials.

MPs lay into Whitehall consultants

The government isn't getting value for money on its outsourcing contracts, MPs argue

The government faced heavy criticism today for spending £1 billion a year on outside consultants with no assessment of their value for money.

The week in politics: Relaxing into Christmas

One of the least eventful political weeks in recent months still saw the players laying out their pieces for the battles ahead.

PMQs as-it-happened

All the details of this week's brutal PMQs clash, on politics.co.uk's live feed.

PMQs as-it-happened

Follow this week's PMQs with politics.co.uk's live blog.

Royal Wikileaks comment prompts Tory attack

The comments from Prince Andrew were released through Wikileaks

Prince Andrew's role in the continuing Wikileaks saga has prompted a rare spat between Tory MPs and the royal family.

The PM survives the backbenchers

Cameron faces the Common's most influential backbenchers today

David Cameron survived two and half hours of scrutiny from the most powerful backbenchers in Westminster this afternoon.

Cameron committee grilling as-it-happened

Cameron at the liaison committee as-it-happened

Follow David Cameron's appearance before the liaison committee with politics.co.uk's live blog.

'Trailblazing' public mutuals launched

The plans are being co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office

Twelve groups of public sector staff will be 'pathfinders' for a scheme to set up employee-owned mutuals as part of the government's 'big society' drive.

Parliamentary private secretaries: Full list

Parliamentary private secretaries: The full list

Downing Street has released details of the MPs made parliamentary private secretaries. Read it in full on politics.co.uk.

PMQs as-it-happened

Follow this week's PMQs, with politics.co.uk's live blog.

Woolas suffers early setback in legal bid

Woolas had an early setback in his appeal bid

Phil Woolas has had an early setback in his bid to overturn a court judgement stripping him of his MP status.

Internal reform: Govt lays out departments' business plans

Smaller, cheaper, streamlined: Govt publishes plans for various departments

The way in which government departments operate will undergo a sea-change today with the publication of full business plans.

Video: Whitehall 'revolution' explained

Lib Dem lone rangers 'need more help'

'Lone ranger' ministers need more help, Institute for Government says

Isolated Liberal Democrat ministers in Conservative-dominated government departments are struggling to keep their heads above water, an expert has warned.