The end of the Whitehall model?

One of the most influential and apparently enduring models of the political-bureaucratic relations has been the 'Whitehall model' derived from British practices. Yet the relationship between bureaucrats and politicians in Britain, often poorly understood in the past, has changed in recent years to such an extent that the continued existence of the 'Whitehall model' can be doubted. This article draws on published sources and, for background, interviews conducted since 1989 with higher (Grade III and above) civil servants and current or former ministers to explore how and why the Whitehall model is threatened with extinction. The wider implications of this development for British policy making and for the study of the relations between bureaucrats and politicians are explored.
The state of the bureaucracy in Britain and its relationship with politicians has become a matter of almost public attention. Long an area that was of limited interest to practitioners [...]