> People seem to be under the impression that the senior civil service creates policy. Arguably they do create policy, in the Yes, Minister sense that they'll

> People seem to be under the impression that the senior civil service creates policy. Arguably they do create policy, in the Yes, Minister sense that they'll happily modify or kill a political initiative that would knock things off an even keel. There a lot of things that do or don't happen pretty much heedless of what politicians demand. Of course, that doesn't derail your metaphor. A good PM can do a lot to guide a client or executive away from their original demands to a better plan that still satisfies them. This is still a huge loss of institutional knowledge and ability to execute properly.