Chancellor Rachel Reeves is shaking up economic advisory roles in Whitehall by enlisting a team of high-profile experts to streamline decision-making and cut bureaucratic inefficiencies.
The move comes as the new Labour government seeks to sharpen its economic strategy with input from seasoned professionals across finance, industry, and academia.
Economic Heavyweights Join Forces
Reeves has approached several leading figures in the economic world to form a leaner, more focused advisory structure. This marks a deliberate shift from previous administrations' reliance on multiple overlapping advisory bodies.
"We need clear, decisive economic leadership without the noise of competing voices," a Treasury source revealed.
Streamlining Whitehall Operations
The restructuring aims to:
- Eliminate duplicate advisory roles
- Create clearer lines of responsibility
- Speed up policy implementation
- Reduce taxpayer costs on consultancy
Whitehall insiders suggest the changes will particularly affect the Treasury's relationship with external economic advisers.
Expertise Over Quantity
Rather than maintaining numerous advisory panels, Reeves prefers a smaller group of trusted experts who can provide rapid, coherent advice during economic challenges.
The Chancellor believes this approach will:
- Improve policy coherence
- Reduce conflicting advice
- Accelerate decision-making
- Enhance accountability
This strategy reflects Reeves' reputation as a pragmatist focused on delivering measurable results rather than maintaining traditional Whitehall structures.
