FDA Annual Conference 2024 catch up
At this year’s Annual Delegate Conference, we heard speeches from keynote speakers including FDA General Secretary Dave Penman and Former First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford. You can watch their full speeches below.
FDA General Secretary Dave Penman opened his speech with criticism of the government’s “top down, evidence-free micromanagement” of the civil service and called on whoever forms the next government to “give the civil service the stability it craves”.
Former First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford focused his speech on the importance of a “sense of public service” to motivate good government and improving diversity in institutions like the civil service.
Read our detailed report of all keynote speeches, which, in addition to Penman and Drakeford, feature Civil Service Chief Operating Officer Cat Little and NAHT General Secretary Paul Whiteman.
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