Google Maps reviews have done more for public services than Whitehall, writes Michael Martins in today’s Notebook

One way to improve public services? Let us publish Google reviews

In my view, Google Maps reviews have done more for consumer welfare than any government-led initiative. For example, the quality of London’s food scene has vastly improved over my thirteen years living here because restaurateurs have nowhere to hide poor quality anymore. Jellied eels are out, Michelin stars are in. However, when it comes to engaging with the UK’s civil service, both the public and businesses have limited options for reviewing their experiences. For the good of the country, this needs to change.

The civil service is one of the UK’s most powerful institutions, yet it operates with a distinct lack of accountability. This often results in wasted time and effort as businesses and individuals spend months navigating a bureaucratic maze trying to get anything done. In an era of stagnating productivity and flatlining growth, this is unsustainable.

Businesses are particularly exposed to the system’s vagaries. Navigating Whitehall’s archaically byzantine responsibility network can be frustrating, draining and expensive. Without a public affairs advisor or a........

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