Bye bye Sir Bob? Cameron might sack head of civil service

David Cameron is trying to sack Sir Bob Kerslake as the head of Britain’s civil service hasn’t met targets, the Independent has reported.

Sir Bob has come under fire for the slow pace of implementing Whitehall reforms and is known to have met only seven out of 18 targets set out by the Prime Minister.

Cameron is believed to have instructed Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to make a list of potential successors. However, insiders have told the paper that Sir Bob is “refusing to go quietly” and that concern has been growing over attempts to “politicise” the civil service.

Rumours are afloat that Sir Bob, who is both the head of the civil service and permanent secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, doesn’t have enough time to devote to both positions.

Downing Street has denied the story and said the PM “fully supports” Sir Bob.

A Downing Street spokesman told the Indpendent: “This story is untrue. Bob Kerslake and Francis Maude launched the Government’s ‘One Year On’ document on Wednesday, a plan outlining further reforms to the civil service. The Prime Minister fully supports the work Bob Kerslake is doing as head of the civil service.”