Morrigan McSweeney, senior advisor to Keir Starmer, the former Prime Minister of the UK, announced at a private event in London that she is seeking to establish an independent think tank for the government. She believes this think tank could operate outside the usual oversight that exists over the Prime Minister's Office (Number 10), thereby helping to improve strategic thinking in the government.
The Need for an Independent Think Tank
McSweeney stated at the event: "One of my goals when leaving the Prime Minister's Office was to create a think tank for Number 10 that would be independent from the government, thus safeguarding it from the level of oversight that exists over the government." She emphasized that this oversight hinders creative and strategic thinking, which is why Number 10 has been lacking in this area.
She also pointed to the challenges individuals in the government face with creative approaches, saying: "The existing oversight prevents the best minds in the country from being attracted because the level of scrutiny on them is very high." McSweeney, who resigned from her position in February, reacted to Starmer's unsuccessful decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK ambassador to the United States.
Technical Challenges in Government
McSweeney also highlighted the technological limitations in daily work at Number 10, stating that the use of unauthorized large language models on government devices hampers individuals' efficiency in the government. She explained: "If you have managed your entire life through Google, you are in trouble." She emphasized that her efficiency has been significantly higher after leaving the government than when she was there.
This former advisor also addressed her criticisms of independent entities known as "quasi-independent bodies," stating: "Many tasks during crises can be handled by the government, but we must pay attention to how close we are to crises and act accordingly." She asserted that the center of government needs to be strengthened and that more attention should be paid to the establishment of independent entities.
McSweeney referred to the new role of Andy Burnham, the current Prime Minister of the UK, noting that he is rightly strengthening the position of Cabinet Secretary. Burnham is expected to grant more legal powers to Antonia Romeo, the highest-ranking government official in the UK, in next year's legislation.
Overall, McSweeney emphasized the need to create a space for creative and strategic thinking in the government, pointing out the existing challenges and technological limitations that affect government performance, and called for fundamental changes in current policies.
