2024-06-30
29 分钟The 2024 UK general election is just days away. Speaking to Georgina Godwin is an expert on many aspects of UK government and politics, in particular, the support systems to ministers and prime ministers. Alun Evans CBE, a civil servant for more than three decades, lifts the lid on what’s happening behind the door of 10 Downing Street during important transitions in politics through his new book, ‘The Intimacy of Power: An insight into private office, Whitehall’s most sensitive network’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hello, this is Meet the Writers.
I'm Georgina Godwin.
My guest today has been a civil servant for over 30 years and is an expert on many aspects of British government and politics, in particular the support systems to ministers and prime ministers, specifically their private offices, transitions in politics, the handling of changes of government and crisis management, all of which the UK is currently facing.
His book is called the Intimacy of An Insight Into Private Whitehall's Most Sensitive Network.
Alan Evans, cbe, welcome to Meet the Writers.
Thank you.
Alan, I wonder if you could start just by giving us a sort of potted bio of your time in the civil service.
Yes, certainly.
I joined the civil service pretty much from university, where I'd studied politics and government, so it was an obvious route to go into.
I joined in what was called the fast stream.
One got accelerated promotion and I worked in a number of departments, Education and Employment.
I then went to work at number 10, but before I was at number 10, I was principal private secretary to three secretaries of Michael Portillo, Gillian Shepard and David Blunkett.
So in 1997, I saw the transition of power from a Conservative government to a Labour government, and very much upfront because I was in private office.
And that's what got me interested in private office in particular and transitions and working in number 10, obviously.
I then saw the power system up close, right at the heart of government.
And again, I was fascinated by the way in which ministers worked with their civil servants, the way in which they relied or didn't rely on civil servants.
And in particular, it struck me that whereas much has been written about ministers, much has been written particularly about special advisors.
There was very little written about the private office and the way in which that operated, and in particular, the way in which it operated during elections at the time of transitions.
Which is exactly what we want to hear about.
Exactly, yeah.