Starmer’s Plan for Change – a challenge for the Civil Service and Chris Wormald

Does Starmer’s 'Plan for Change' signal doubts about Civil Service capability?

Keir Starmer’s Plan for Change represents an ambitious agenda for public service delivery. Yet alongside its stretch goals and milestones lies a clear signal of concern about the Civil Service’s ability to deliver on these promises.

The appointment of Chris Wormald as the new Cabinet Secretary, a seasoned delivery-focused civil servant, underscores the Prime Minister’s intent to overhaul Whitehall and ensure it rises to the challenge.

The key appointment

Unlike his predecessors, who often hailed from the Treasury or security-focused departments, Chris Wormald brings a rare, delivery-oriented background to the top Civil Service role.

With long tenures at the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care, Wormald has spent much of his career grappling with large-scale public service challenges - education reform, NHS funding crises, and, most recently, the pandemic response.

This choice sends a strong message: Starmer sees delivery as the cornerstone of his government. Wormald’s experience in operational departments positions him uniquely to drive the government’s priorities, from meeting NHS targets to delivering 1.5 million new homes.

His appointment also signals that Starmer expects the Cabinet Office and No.10 to shift from policy-heavy functions to a more streamlined, delivery-focused approach.

The Prime Minister did not hold back in his critique of Whitehall during the announcement of the Plan for Change. He described parts of the Civil Service as being "comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline" (!) calling for a renewed sense of ambition and urgency.

This stark assessment underscores his belief that Whitehall needs a cultural transformation to move from passivity to active delivery - a sentiment that underpins the appointment of Chris Wormald as Cabinet Secretary and the push for reform in public service operations.

Ready for reform?

Starmer’s call for greater accountability and innovation is not new, but it comes at a time when public trust in government delivery is low.

The Plan for Change’s milestones - such as building 1.5 million homes and cutting NHS waiting lists - will require not only funding but also significant reform of bureaucratic processes.

Reforming the Civil Service to align with Starmer’s vision could involve:

• Strengthening accountability mechanisms within Whitehall.
• Restructuring the Cabinet Office and expanding No. 10’s capacity to oversee delivery.
• Encouraging cross-departmental collaboration to break down silos.

However, Starmer’s critique risks reinforcing a narrative that the civil service is inherently flawed, which could undermine morale and make reform more difficult. While public demands for improved delivery are valid, civil servants also need support and resources to meet these expectations.

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, responded sharply to the Prime Minister’s comments, saying: "I don't know any civil servant who is comfortable managing decline. I know civil servants who are burnt out because of the extra hours they're working. I know civil servants who have coped with a decade of austerity, of Brexit, of Covid, of dozens of ministerial changes and chaotic changes of government. They are desperate for a government that will value them, respect them and give them the resources needed to deliver vital public services."

Penman’s remarks highlight the delicate balance Starmer and Wormald must strike. Reform must inspire progress without alienating an overstretched workforce.

Starmer’s bathroom rhetoric could galvanise the Civil Service to embrace reform but risks undermining trust if not paired with meaningful investment and respect.

Leveraging AI to boost productivity

One area where Wormald could leave a transformative legacy is in leveraging new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to improve public sector productivity. AI offers opportunities to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and predict service demands more effectively.

As permanent secretary at Health, Wormald oversaw early efforts to integrate AI into healthcare. Now, as Cabinet Secretary, he has the chance to scale these innovations across all public services.

AI adoption could be critical to achieving milestones like reducing NHS waiting lists, fast-tracking planning decisions, and improving policing through predictive analytics.

However, AI’s success depends on embedding tools in ways that respect ethical boundaries, protect privacy, and improve efficiency without displacing jobs unnecessarily. Wormald’s ability to translate AI potential into tangible public benefits will be a key test of his tenure.

The Machinery of Government changes to the the Incubator for AI, which along with CDDO and GDS were moved to DSIT in efforts to create a digital hub within government, are gathering momentum. Expect significant announcements about the role to play very shortly (I've been sworn to secrecy until the announcement).

Wormald’s appointment comes with an implicit mandate to drive civil service reform. The upcoming Spending Review presents an opportunity to prioritise Starmer’s milestones through zero-based budgeting, identifying programmes that deliver the most value.

However, success will depend on aligning departmental efforts with overarching missions, breaking down silos, and ensuring robust delivery mechanisms.

Wormald’s non-Treasury background could be a strength in this context. His operational expertise aligns with Starmer’s goals of practical reform, while his experience in health and education provides insights into two of the government’s most challenging policy areas.

Road ahead

Chris Wormald’s appointment as Cabinet Secretary represents a departure from tradition and signals a government determined to prioritise delivery. His background in health and education aligns closely with Starmer’s reform agenda, and his experience offers hope that he can drive improvements in public sector productivity and efficiency.

However, success will require more than technical expertise. Wormald must inspire innovation, foster collaboration across departments, and navigate the complex politics of reform.

The stakes are high - not only for Wormald’s legacy but also for the government’s ability to deliver on its ambitious Plan for Change. By pairing reform with a focus on enabling civil servants, he has the opportunity to reshape Whitehall into an institution capable of meeting the challenges of the modern era.