Keir Starmer Articles
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Each UK government department gets dedicated delivery unit in latest civil service reform
A dedicated delivery unit is to be formed in every department in the UK government in an effort to build capacity across the civil service. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, said the approach would be flexible depending on the needs of departments, but that there was a need…
Digital ID and civil service reform among UK government’s legislative priorities as pressure mounts on PM
Parliamentary bills to introduce a voluntary digital ID for public services and boost cybersecurity are among the UK government’s latest legislative priorities. Thirty-seven bills in total were presented on 13 May in the King’s Speech – the set-piece occasion that marks the start of a new parliamentary year – which has been overshadowed by speculation…
New UK cabinet secretary responsibilities include developing ‘curious and engaged civil service’
The key responsibilities of the new UK cabinet secretary Antonia Romeo have been published by government, highlighting the priorities for the year ahead include acting as the prime minister’s principal policy adviser and leading an impartial, curious and engaged civil service. The objectives have been agreed with UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and published…
UK takes ‘whole-of-government’ approach to tackling violence against women and girls in landmark strategy
The UK government has published its much-anticipated strategy on tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), setting out what prime minister Keir Starmer called a “whole-of government, whole-of-society effort” to halve VAWG in a decade. The 91-page policy paper Freedom from violence and abuse: A cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and…
New MoD permanent secretary to ‘drive Strategic Defence Review delivery’
Jeremy Pocklington, the current permanent secretary of the UK government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, has been appointed as the new head of the Ministry of Defence to lead the UK’s new era of defence. Pocklington, who will replace David Williams as permanent secretary of the UK’s defence department, comes to the post…
UK government plans to roll out compulsory digital ID
The UK government plans to launch a digital ID in a bid to improve public services and allay concerns around illegal immigration, the prime minister Keir Starmer has announced. Speaking at the Global Progress Action Summit in London on 26 September, Starmer said that digital IDs – provisionally nicknamed a ‘Brit card’ – would…
UK creates chief secretary to prime minister role to drive progress on government priorities
Sir Keir Starmer has created the new position of chief secretary to the prime minister in the UK government as part of plans for “relentless delivery” on its priorities. The announcement of the new post comes as the UK’s parliament returns from its summer break, and the government said the new term marks “a ramping…
Responsibility for UK public sector cybersecurity moves to Government Digital Service
Responsibility for government and public sector cybersecurity in the UK has moved from the Cabinet Office to the Government Digital Service (GDS) within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the machinery of government change in a written statement to the House of Commons on 3 June, saying…
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Keir Starmer Research
Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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