Tory grandees defend civil service ‘doing their job’ after Raab accusations

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. There is no organised conspiracy to frustrate the will of ministers Lord Young of Cookham Lord Young of Cookham, who served as a minister for 21 years under five different Conservative prime ministers, said: “My experience is you don’t get the best out of civil servants by shouting at them. “What some ministers may see as obstruction is civil servants doing their job by pointing out the adverse consequences of certain policy options.” Lord Young, whose ministerial career included time as transport secretary, leader of the House of Commons and chief whip, added that he hoped any review of the complaints procedure would be debated in the House of Lords. Likewise, officials should not have the power effectively to dismiss ministers for whom they work least of all by making anonymous complaints against them.” Cabinet Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe, who has worked as a civil servant, a political advisor and a minister, said: “The Prime Minister has been clear that the civil service is vital to the work of the Government. “The Prime Minister has accepted the resignation of the Rt Hon Dominic Raab, the former deputy prime minister, following the findings of Adam Tolley KC in a published exchange of letters.” She added: “The constitution has these different parts – it has ministers, I think political advisers are very important and very helpful, and in most cases they work well with the civil service.”