AI in Civil Service: Starmer’s Announcement

In a strategic move to reshape government operations, Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to announce that AI should replace some of the work performed by civil servants where it can achieve the same quality standards. This initiative has incited significant concern among trade unions, who warn that Starmer’s administration should refrain from attributing systemic problems to civil service personnel.

As part of his upcoming speech, Starmer aims to detail how a digital transformation within the government could yield substantial savings, potentially totaling over £45 billion. He will instruct officials to adopt a guiding principle stating, “No person’s substantive time should be spent on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker, and to the same high quality and standard.” This directive positions AI as a cornerstone of the UK’s plans for modernization.

Starmer’s vision includes recruiting 2,000 new tech apprentices to bolster the civil service. Nonetheless, Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, has cautioned that while there is merit in setting a bold transformative agenda, many civil servants are wary of Starmer’s rhetoric. “Mantras that look like they’ve been written by ChatGPT… are fine for setting out a mission, but spending rounds are about reality,” he remarked, emphasizing the need for tangible outcomes rather than abstract goals.

Concerns regarding civil service morale and job security have intensified as some unions feel threatened by Starmer’s approach—specifically, by phrases that may appear to blame officials for inefficiencies. Penman stated, “Many civil servants will be looking for the substance and feeling that, once again, the prime minister is using the language of blame rather than transformation.”

Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect union, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that civil servants are open to reforms but emphasize that these changes should unfold collaboratively with the partnership of staff and unions. He urged the government to avoid incendiary rhetoric and instead focus on enhancements rather than undermining civil service integrity.

Starmer’s plans will also include initiatives to reduce regulatory burdens and eliminate specific quangos, aiming to tackle the “cottage industry of checkers and blockers” that, he claims, slow down progress for the public. He plans to establish a target of cutting the cost of regulation by 25%.

In his address, Starmer is expected to diagnose an ongoing issue in the UK: that while the state has become “bigger, but weaker,” it has failed to meet its core objectives. He emphasizes that now is the time for urgency and transformation, insisting that “every pound spent, every regulation, every decision must deliver for working people.”

As part of this broader strategy, Starmer’s government is also reportedly aiming to decrease the size of the civil service by significantly more than 10,000 positions while implementing tougher performance management requirements designed to enhance accountability among underperforming officials. This approach mirrors initiatives in the U.S., where former President Donald Trump pushed for drastic cuts within government ranks.

Recent discussions have taken place regarding a project named “project chainsaw,” which alludes to similar controversial governmental cuts led by the Trump administration, showcasing an ambitious and possibly contentious approach to governance. However, a spokesperson for Starmer’s administration rejected characterizations of their plans as slashing the state, affirming, “There’s no approach here where we’re taking a chainsaw to the system.”

As this dialogue unfolds, the balance between technological advancement and maintaining civil servant roles remains a critical point of contention in the transformation of public service in the UK.