It is so fashionable to denigrate politicians and to counsel them to ‘listen to the people’ that it may appear counter-intuitive to suggest that just for once, we should listen to them.

Civil servants and Managers attending Institute training courses, Masterclasses or Roundtables frequently complain that one of the biggest challenges they face is overcoming “the politics.” By this they do not necessarily mean party politics – but typically the extreme reluctance of MPs or Councillors to agree with controversial changes, especially if constituents want to oppose them.