Letters: The uncivil service

Uncivil service

Sir: The elephant in the room in the handling of the pandemic (‘A tragedy of errors’, 29 May) is the civil service, which has become the problem in government rather than the solution. Repeated disasters of problem management — from the blood transfusion scandal to Hillsborough to the failures illuminated by Dominic Cummings — reveal an inability to make precise decisions, accept errors and move on. This is especially illustrated by the Home Office which is no longer fit for any purpose. The difficulties encountered by the Windrush people are a case in point. The incompetence and sheer nastiness is breathtaking. It is apparent that we are governed by the civil service as the Chinese are by the Communist party, and the Treasury is the equivalent of the presidium.

Evan Bayton

Moore, Cheshire

Candid Cummings

Sir: It was good to see The Spectator recognising the positive aspects of Dominic Cummings’s select committee appearance.