Boris Johnson should not have dodged the chance to make radical changes to Whitehall

Brexit presents a golden opportunity for the UK Government to take a radically new approach towards the bureaucracy which governs so much of this country. While Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, made some changes in his Cabinet reshuffle, he did not go far enough says Joshua Mackenzie-Lawrie of Get Britain Out.

In the aftermath of the recent Cabinet reshuffle, which has been painted as controversial and wide-ranging, there are some of us who still feel as if the promises of sweeping changes in Whitehall have been left unfulfilled.

Brexit has presented the UK Government with a rare opportunity to click the reset button on a large section of UK bureaucracy which has become sclerotic in the decades since we joined the European Union. However, in his first full reshuffle, Boris Johnson pulled the plug on some of the biggest reforms which had been rumoured.

While there was some reform – and it is a welcome sight to see the top brass of the Treasury have their power neutered – these reforms to set up a single 'Downing Street Economic Team' do not go far enough.

Since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister there have been promises of radical changes to the structure of Whitehall, including shutting down and merging departments in an effort to reduce the levels of inefficiency and bureaucracy which often clog up the arteries of Government. However, instead, we got a half-hearted approach. For example, all ministers within the Foreign Office have also been made ministers for the Department of International Development, yet there remain two separate departments and 2 different Secretaries of State.  A gesture no doubt, but in practice-changing very little.

With Brexit allowing us to return to the global stage in our own right, it is now more important than ever for our Foreign Policy (of which International Development (Foreign Aid) is a part) to operate efficiently and not have to navigate two separate units of Civil Servants and all the red tape which comes with that. 

This lack of meaningful reform seems to have come about because of significant pushback from those within Whitehall, claiming the UK cannot both Leave the EU – with all the significant changes which it will bring – and radically reform the Civil Service because many bureaucrats argue the established departments are needed to implement Brexit policy. 

This is not something which Get Britain Out agrees with. Many of the opportunities which will come from our Leaving the European Union will be radical possibilities for change within the British establishment. After all, is it likely those working within the existing structures of Whitehall could be trusted to fully implement a Brexit which may see them out of a job?

If we fail to fundamentally reform our Whitehall departments then we cannot hope to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to our country as a result of Brexit. 

However, this is not just about moving around and merging departments, a post-Brexit Britain must take a fresh approach to our entire Civil Service. On the whole, it has largely become a breeding ground for mediocrity and political correctness which is passed on to successive ministers and Governments of all parties. In the years after we Leave the EU, our path to success cannot be decelerated by internal Civil Service failings and lack of ambition and belief. The level of scrutiny on UK policy-makers will increase to a peak as a result of 'Taking Back Control'. This scrutiny must also be placed on those responsible for implementing policy. Success and innovation should be the priority for promotion and not length of service. Quite simply, those who are not up to the task should face the consequences to ensure this country can really take advantage of Brexit and Get Britain Out of the EU – whole and entire – by December 31st 2020.