Many civil servants want change, Keir Starmer insists.

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted many civil servants want change, after being accused of using “Trumpian language” in his criticism of Whitehall.

In a speech setting out his priorities for the government on Thursdaythe Prime Minister said “too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in a warm bath of systematic austerity”.

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, said the Prime Minister’s comments were “shocking” and “truly damaging”.

He told BBC Newsnight that civil servants “feel a sense of betrayal”.

“In the early days of this government, ministers were going around departments saying ‘we’re not going to be like the previous administration, we’ve got your back’,” he said.

“And yet we’re five months into this Trumpian language that’s being used.”

Asked if it was wise to pick a fight with the civil service, Sir Kerr told reporters: “I have worked with civil servants when I was chief prosecutor and obviously [I’m] Working with him again now, I know he brings a strong sense of public service to everything he does.

“But at the same time I know that we have to push through reform, we have to deliver better government.”

He added: “I think a lot of civil servants would say well, very well, give us leadership, we want the same change.”

Some high government sources Labor told the BBC Since taking office in July, the quality of the civil service has been disillusioned.

But Mr Penman said to achieve the government’s targets and reform public services “you need to bring [civil servants] with you”

“Cabinet ministers will have to deliver on the ground and they will have to work together with civil servants and they will have to repair the damage done by the Prime Minister’s words,” he added.

Mr Penman admitted that Whitehall could be slow to act, and civil servants were also “frustrated”.

However, he said productivity has declined due to a number of reasons, including high ministerial turnover.

Mr Penman has written to the Prime Minister to express his concerns and urged him to “work urgently to restore confidence” with civil servants.

Other unions representing civil servants also criticized Sir Kier’s comments.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “One of the reasons why trust in politics is so low is the refusal of politicians to be accountable for anything. It’s always someone else’s fault.

“Blaming civil servants, who work above and beyond to run the country every day, for failing to deliver reforms is wrong and worse, cowardly.”

Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of Prospect, said: “Blaming the civil service for policy delivery failures is a simplistic and far-reaching task.

“There may be a need for reform, indeed the civil service unions have been saying for years that we are ready to work with the government on how to improve it.”

In his speech, Sir Kerr set out six targets the government aims to meet before the next election, including the economy, housebuilding, the NHS, policing, pre-school education and green energy.

As well as being designed to provide further clarity on the direction of his government, the speech had a secondary purpose of mobilizing the civil service.

The PM said the plan would “land on tables around Whitehall with a gauntlet thrown down”.

Donald Trump won the US election with a promise to reshape government and end the “deep state” in Washington, DC.

The president-elect has in the past talked about “draining the swamp” in his plans to cut bureaucracy and costs.

Sir Kiir echoed the phrase in his speech, saying “I don’t think there’s a quagmire here” but made clear his frustration with the performance of civil servants tasked with implementing his government’s policies.