Advising political leaders: history matters

Ministerial advisers have an historical dimension. Their appearance relates to particular tendencies that have manifested themselves over time in the functioning of government, and they themselves have followed certain patterns of development. The concept of a ‘permanent’ bureaucracy that persists irrespective of leadership churn has a long pedigree, and special advisers can be defined partly in contrast to a particular refinement of that model: the career Civil Service. Special advisers have achieved their present status mainly through integration into this pre-existing system, rather than through supplanting it. The incorporation of a body of staff into Whitehall on terms that clearly represented a departure from certain core principles necessitated careful consideration of the safeguards that might be required - and though they have become an accepted presence, their position has remained a sensitive one. Notwithstanding these considerations, it is important to understand special advisers as, from the point of view of the permanent Civil Service, more than a problem to be contained, but also valuable. When the history of the special adviser is considered as a whole, consistently the most important factor to their role has been the relationship with the minister they serve.