Moves by a key government department to cut over two thousand civil service jobs and ‘lead by example’ to accelerate Sir Keir Starmer’s public sector reforms are to be welcomed. The Cabinet Office will cut almost a third of its workforce as part of Labour’s bid to make “radical” reforms to the way the country is governed, including cutting the costs of government by 15% by the end of the decade. It relates only to the UK civil service – and will have limited impact in Northern Ireland where Stormont civil servants are employed locally. However, the moves by Pat McFadden’s department give an indication of the scale of the cuts which could face the Northern Ireland Office – which will be affected by the government’s plans. The United Kingdom has some outstanding civil servants, whose role is crucial in providing continuity between governments and acting in the country’s long term interests. They play a particularly crucial role in international relations, having a wealth of knowledge that relative newcomers like the current Prime Minister can draw on. However, the civil service has undoubtedly become bloated. A key part of the reforms is to avoid duplication of roles – something which wouldn’t have been tolerated for so long in the private sector. It has also become politicised, with public resources being wasted on politically contentious diversity schemes and staff networks promoting their own particular political ideologies in the workplace under the guise of inclusivity. Labour’s plans are certainly radical by British standards. However, the conversation hasn’t really begun in NI – where politicians have little appetite for tough decisions in a bid to live within their budget. Cuts in GB may eventually leave them with little choice.