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Now that the Government’s “war on Whitehall” seems to be over 👇, a thread on this curious episode.

TL;DR Absolutely nothing has changed in the civil service, apart from the identities of a few very senior office holders (1/20)


Firstly, the ‘war’ does genuinely seem to be over. Congrats to Tom Scholar on his reappointment, kudos to the PM & Chancellor for a wise decision, and to Simon Case for whatever he’s done to bring these pointless hostilities to an end at such an important time (2/20)

But it’s worth asking: what has this latest attempt, accompanied as it has been by ferocious (if mostly anonymously briefed) rhetoric, actually involved?

The answer is, by historical standards, virtually nothing at all. There have been two discernible strands of activity (3/20)

First, there’s been the defenestration of about half a dozen very senior officials, including, most unusually, the cabinet secretary.

But the replacements have been career insiders, cut from the same cloth. Sometimes they’ve been a good bit younger, but not always. (4/20)
(1) Here are the amendments to the All Tiers Regs to implement Lockdown 3

(2) Made at 4.30 pm today, laid before Parliament at 5.30 pm, published on
https://t.co/ZtYk9EHWsF at 5.44 pm, come into force at 00.01 tomorrow, 6 Jan.


(3) As predicted they tweak the rules for Tier 4 and put the whole country into it - so just a mere 5 pages to do this

(4) So, some specific changes - on the restriction of movement, which prohibits leaving / being away from home without a reasonable excuse, the following circumstances which are deemed to be a reasonable excuse are deleted...

(5) recreation, visting a zoo etc is out
July 2009.
Government virus expert paid £116k by swine flu vaccine manufacturers.

"The 'false' pandemic: Drug firms cashed in on scare over swine flu, claims Euro health chief."

January 2010.

https://t.co/nDs2ifa6jk


The 2016 simulation of a pandemic found holes in the UK’s readiness for such a

November 2018
"Ineffective flu vaccine added to 50,000 extra deaths last winter. Office National Statistics."

"Human suffering and lost lives over winter 'predictable, preventable and