What two qualities are fundamental to a civil servant's role?

Civil servants are the backbone of the UK government, working to implement policies and deliver public services. Now, imagine if those civil servants were biased or dishonest – the whole system would fall apart! That's why impartiality and integrity are absolutely fundamental to their role. Impartiality means treating everyone fairly and without personal bias, regardless of their background or political beliefs. Integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles. Civil servants must make decisions based on evidence and the law, not on personal feelings or who they know. This ensures that everyone has equal access to services and that the government operates fairly. While a sense of humour might be nice, it's not a core requirement! And belonging to a political party would directly contradict the need for impartiality. Civil servants serve the government of the day, whatever its political persuasion, and must remain politically neutral to maintain public trust.