Public Service....

On Wednesday, public servants are going on strike to protest against the Government plans on their pensions.

I am not a fan of unions, or of strikes, but I can’t help feeling sorry for some of these public workers.

Under Labour, the public sector expanded hugely, brought about by reams of bureaucratic practices and restrictive legislation. All of this, of course, had to be paid by the public purse.

Now comes the reckoning, the debt has to be paid, and this coalition has to cut the ridiculous level of spending it has inherited and, unfortunately, public servants are amongst the casualties of this.

The really sad thing is that there are a large amount decent and dedicated people in the Civil Service who do a good job and they are getting caught up in this.

A few years back, a restructuring of the Civil Service was suggested which would remove at least one layer of middle management. Needless to say, this was never implemented.

Having worked in the Civil Service, I can tell you that there is a lot of dead wood there. A lot of talent as well I can assure you, which is just as well, as they are the ones carrying the dross.

The Civil Service could really do with a cull of under-performers, but this will not happen, primarily because the politically motivated unions will do anything to a) keep their membership up, b) restore their power base and c) encourage the downfall of a right-leaning Government...