The Department for Business and Trade – soon to be the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade – is hiring an industrial policy chief without a requirement to be knowledgeable about the economy or industrial policy. Whitehall hiring 101…
The new hire will lead on policy for the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council Secretariat and “deliver robust advice to the Government following the publication of the Industrial Strategy; specifically supporting the ISAC members to deliver bespoke policy projects, give evidence-based recommendations to Government and engage extensively with relevant stakeholders, ensuring that the ISAC’s time and expertise is used to maximum effect to maximise impact and delivery of Industrial Strategy objectives.” For a handsome £64,708…
It is “essential” that the policy lead can brief, communicate and is “comfortable working with agility in a context of change and transition.” Knowledge of the policy, however, is further down the list:
“The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates;
An understanding of the drivers of economic policy and/or some familiarity with industrial policy would be desirable but not essential. ”
This prioritisation happens worryingly often. Applies to Andy Burnham’s new job too: “Winning a national election or leadership contest of any type is desirable but not essential”…
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”