Balance of Power

Starmer’s Uncivil War Against the UK Civil Service

The Mandelson saga has laid bare tensions between the civil service and elected politicians.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street on April 1.Photographer: Betty Laura Zapata/Bloomberg

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Various clips from the 1980s political satire Yes Minister have been doing the rounds in the UK, showing how relevant it remains to describe the absurd position that Prime Minister Keir Starmer finds himself in today.