Title

WHITEHALL

Whitehall speed dating

Diary is a bit old-fashioned when it comes to dating.

Diary is a bit old-fashioned when it comes to dating.

We are more about tenderness than Tinder, can be found bumbling around rather than on Bumble and are keener to talk about match funding than Match.com.

It seems even Whitehall is leaving us behind, with Diary told about – but not invited to - a recent ‘speed dating' event.

On closer investigation, it turns out that this was not designed to engineer a new super-breed of civil servant nor introduce a sprinkling of love to the stuffy corridors of Whitehall.

Rather, the event was a way of recruiting new blood to the civil service, with officials from various departments selling their offer to potential mandarins.

Presumably, culture vultures might be attracted to DCMS, country bumpkins would be keen to check out what Defra has to offer while do-gooders would be intrigued about working for DFID.

It got Diary wondering how sexy is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)?

The answer from one insider: ‘I know it's sad but local government is actually pretty interesting. Sadly, it's hard to sell local government.'

Perhaps Diary has found its match.

WHITEHALL

Getting fiscal devolution right

By Luke Raikes | 28 August 2025

Luke Raikes says local tax powers can help revive the places Whitehall abandoned, and he proposes three quick wins the Government could move forward with imm...

WHITEHALL

Platforms for change

By Max Wide | 14 August 2025

Now should be the time to reflect, learn and proceed with insight and refreshed practices if the new strategic authorities and the ingenuity of their leaders...

WHITEHALL

Councils bite back at food waste recycling rollout plan

By EXCLUSIVE by Dan Peters | 14 August 2025

Councils will not be told how much money they will receive to roll out food waste recycling until months before the implementation date, the Government has a...

WHITEHALL

Knitting places together again

By Professor Donna Hall | 31 July 2025

The place-based approach is ready for the mainstream – so it’s important that the system around it is too, say Dr Simon Kaye, Andrew Laird and Professor Donn...