Tories consider controversial plan to politicise civil service after Raab scandal

No 10 adviser urges political appointments in a radical plan following crisis over bullying

Radical plans to bring in more politicisation" of Whitehall by allowing ministers greater powers to appoint their own civil servants - including some with overt political affiliations - are being considered by the government's own adviser on the civil service.

Writing in today's Observer, the Conservative peer and former Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, who is expected to report shortly to Rishi Sunak, says that in order for ministers to get the best advice possible, we need to be more robust and less mealy mouthed about politicisation'".