The centralisation of No.10 – an unconventional approach to policymaking

Covid-19 has shined a spotlight on the government’s centralisation at No.10 – but it certainly hasn’t happened out of the blue. Theresa May’s government has been said to have initiated this process in its early stages, during Brexit negotiations, but the impact of Covid-19 – particularly under Boris Johnson’s ruling – is what’s really been the catalyst here.

Following countless civil servants handing in their resignations over the last few months, there’s been unmistakable tension within the civil service. New appointments have been made at all levels, with some causing the public to question the level of seniority given to them.

Take the appointment of Simon Case as cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, for example. At first, it was surprising to see the youngest cabinet secretary in decades taking on a top role, but Case has now earnt his trust among both his peers and the wider public.

Naturally, conflicting opinions are to be expected, particularly when the government seem to be reining everything in on the decision-making front. Much of the discussion around centralisation at No.10 comes back to the government’s changed approach to communications – starting with the introducing of daily briefings back in April.

Other countries began airing daily briefings much sooner than the UK, though after seeing their success, Johnson was keen to follow suit. To the general public, this may give the appearance of transparency, but to others, it comes across as another way to take full control of the messages being broadcast to the nation.

However, in terms of announcing his initial approach to the Covid-19 crisis, Johnson was quick to skim over the details, instead giving a brief, overarching view of the plan. Since then, he’s continued to do the same at each twist and turn along the way – a stark contrast to when May would reach into her ‘dreaded handbag’ to pull out her latest research for cross-referencing civil servant’s claims.

He is, of course, not a man known for being detail-orientated – or rather, he’s a man who actively avoids being put under forensic scrutiny. Instead of taking a more measured approach, following the advice given by numerous scientists and researchers across the globe, Johnson was eager to tighten his grip on government communications and put himself in the spotlight immediately, before backtracking on previous statements.

Traditionally, policymakers put forward policies backed by a wealth of trusted information – it’s rule 101, and what adds gravitas to their suggestions. In contrast, we’ve seen No.10 not only propose, but fully implement, plans without any evidence informing it until after it’s come into play.

With mixed messages coming from the media and policymakers themselves, it’s difficult to determine which is which, as well as whether other looming issues such as Brexit and the climate crisis are still very much on their radar – and surely only time will tell.