Martin Stanley

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: learn lessons and implement changes

By Gill Kernick and Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, British Politics Posted: September 5, 2017

The Grenfell Tower fire saw 80 or more adults and children die in their homes in an entirely preventable disaster. Here, Gill Kernick, who helps high hazard industries prevent major accidents and personally witnessed the disaster, and Martin Stanley (Editor, Understanding Regulation) argue that the fire was a terrible failure of government, leadership and regulation […]

Why do politicians sometimes ignore scientific advice?

By Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Westminster Watch, Whitehall Watch Posted: March 9, 2015

Respected scientist Sir Paul Nurse recently expressed his distress that politicians sometimes “ignore” scientific evidence. Here is a slightly different take on the issue from the perspective of a recent senior civil servant. At one level, of course, I agree with Sir Paul. I can’t prove it but I suspect that many if not most […]

Civil Service Accountability to the Public Part III

By Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, Whitehall Watch Posted: January 23, 2015

In the latest blog in our series on the Civil Service , Martin Stanley continues his examination of whether senior officials should be more accountable – especially to MPs – for the advice that they give to Ministers. Whatever the strength of the arguments for and against greater civil service accountability, there does seem to […]

Civil Service Accountability to the Public part II

By Martin Stanley Filed Under: Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted: January 19, 2015

In the second of three blogs Martin Stanley examines whether senior officials should be more accountable – especially to MPs – for the advice that they give to Ministers. This is the fourth post in our series on the Civil Service. How would officials react to greater public scrutiny? Most of them, I suspect, would […]

Civil Service Accountability to the Public

By Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, Whitehall Watch Posted: January 14, 2015

In the second of our series of posts exploring the corridors of power in Whitehall, former senior civil servant and public sector chief executive Martin Stanley discusses how we are governed and the tensions between the needs of Ministers, MPs and the wider public. The electorate clearly believe that ‘the Westminster Village’ is incompetent and/or […]

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: learn lessons and implement changes

Why do politicians sometimes ignore scientific advice?

Civil Service Accountability to the Public Part III

Civil Service Accountability to the Public part II

Civil Service Accountability to the Public

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