No wonder Downing Street’s in chaos – you can’t even get a decent phone signal, say ex-No 10 staffers
Its creaky, distinctive basement floor with mice and “doors to nowhere” – Number 10 Downing Street may be one of the most famous addresses in the world, but for many of its staff, conditions in the cramped ward behind the famous door represent a perfect metaphor for the workings of government.
While other countries’ governing bodies are often run from fairly large buildings (such as the US’s White House, Germany’s enormous Federal Chancellery or Italy’s Palazzo Chigi) in Britain the prime minister is expected to live, work and host official state meetings in a rather tired Georgian mansion.
It is perhaps unsurprising that this “ruined” building, in constant use for almost 300 years by Prime Ministers, their staff and an army of civil servants, is held together with gaffa tape, has fraying curtains, lacks showers and occasionally has toilets emitting “smells”.
This According to Politico’s reportwho interviewed former staff at No 10 and laid out a damning summary of how the age and (lack of) design of the building at 10 Downing Street had affected staff. It raises concerns about efficiency, but also alludes to how building layout and the inherent constraints of working in a building can affect policymaking and intergovernmental communication.
One particular issue that stood out was the building’s poor mobile phone reception; This, combined with the noise of soldiers on the Horse Guards Parade, meant that people sometimes had to climb out of windows or move rooms to find somewhere quiet enough and with adequate signal to chat.
“The phone signal is terrible there,” a former aide to Liz Truss told the publication. “This is an absolute fucking nightmare.”
Earlier this year, Report on the installation of 4G technology on the Moon It sparked outrage, with many saying there was not enough mobile phone signal in many parts of the capital. Obviously this includes Downing Street.
Meanwhile, a 2023 report from Ofcom found that seven per cent of the country had no 4G coverage, while a separate study conducted by research firm Opensignal found that UK mobile users had 4G coverage. worst average 5G download speeds among all G7 countries.
Small rooms, fights over desk space and fiercely guarded proximity to the prime minister are apparently sources of anxiety for workers jostling within the tight confines of the house.
A former aide to Boris Johnson said the plan was “massively useless” and “not fit for purpose” for governing the country.
They said: “If I needed policy people, I couldn’t find them. I’d ask them to come down and meet me in the lobby… it’s pathetic, but it’s an example of how terrible it is there.”
“Keir hates it,” a former aide reportedly said. Is this starting to show? Concerns are growing across Whitehall that Downing Street is becoming isolated under Starmer’s watch, becoming “toxic” and increasingly unruly, in Wes Streeting’s words.
Many insiders insist that the fate of his premiership rests less on politics and more on the chemistry he develops with those around him. In just sixteen months, he has navigated a merry-go-round of top aides, leading critics to question whether the revolving door is masking a deeper authority vacuum.
While both Sir Keir’s political problems and 10 Downing Street’s physical restraint problems clearly remain, it is not clear that solving one will also solve the other.
Independent He contacted Downing Street for comment.
