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Dr Andrew Blick

Dr Andrew Blick is Lecturer in Politics and Contemporary History, King's College London. His publications include, with George Jones, 'At Power's Elbow: aides to the Prime Minister from Robert Walpole to David Cameron; ‘People Who Live in the Dark’, a history of special advisers; ‘Premiership’, also with George Jones; and – with Peter Hennessy – ‘The Hidden Wiring Emerges’, an analysis of the UK Cabinet Manual. He is currently writing ‘Beyond Magna Carta: a constitution for the United Kingdom’.

A Century of Policy Advice at No.10 – Part One

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Cabinet Office, Civil service, Prime Ministers and No. 10
Extract of the draft note from 2 January 1917 on 10 Downing Street headed paper which reads 'To: The Private Secretary, the Prime Minister has decided, with a view to keeping himself in close touch with the several departments, to establish a ['Secretariat' is crossed out and replaced by 'Department'] in connection with Office of the First Lord of the Treasury. The following gentlemen have been appointed to act as secretaries to the ['First Lord of the Treasury' is crossed out and replaced by 'new Department']

...Lloyd George Papers, LG/F/74/2/3. [2] Parliamentary Archives, Lloyd George Papers, LG/F/74/2/11 p.1. [3] Parliamentary Archives, Lloyd George Papers, LG/F/74/2/3. [4] Parliamentary Archives, Lloyd George Papers, LG/F/74/10/4, pp.2-3. Keep tabs on...

9 December 1916: David Lloyd George introduces minuted Cabinet meetings and instigates the Cabinet Office

Sir Maurice Hankey is striding with a sense of purpose. He is wearing a bowler hat, smoking a pipe and carrying a walking stick.

Sir Maurice Hankey, 1921 (Library of Congress) A century ago today, David Lloyd George, the new Prime Minister, held the first meeting of his War Cabinet. In the process he...