The PM’s recent attacks on us echoed jibes from the discredited Tories. We are not the problem: we really want to work with him

So the “mercilessly short” honeymoon I predicted for Keir Starmer’s shiny new administration has turned out to be even shorter and more merciless than the nation’s civil servants expected, especially those of us long enough in the tooth to remember Tony Blair’s endless “new dawn” back in 1997.

Back in July, Sir Keir spaffed a fragile meringue of “confidence, support and respect” over the civil service. That was then vaporised 10 days ago under the unforgiving lights of Pinewood’s film studios in Buckinghamshire.

The author works for the UK civil service