Originally Posted by
Seekingasylum
The thing is, civil servants are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
The stupid and ignorant are always castigating civil servants for obstructing ministers etc.,etc., but in truth they generally strive to align their advice with the prevailing ethos of the government of the day. Treat 'em mean and strip the fat away to keep it lean is music to the Tory ear so give them what they want. Can't blame them, can you. Reducing labour costs to maximise profits is grist to the Tory mill.
The briefing paper for Labour with their MPs in port constituencies and a commitment to bolstering indigenous workforces would have been obviously different.