Steve Hilton has fired his parting shot to Whitehall with the suggestion that the civil service could be cut by up to 90% with policy farmed out to think tanks and the private sector. If reports are to be believed then relations between senior civil servants and Government are currently at an all time low.

Leaked reports of Hilton ‘inexpertly’ peeling and eating oranges during meetings with Head of the Civil Service, Sir Bob Kerslake and suggestions that Ian Watmore’s departure is due to strained relationships with his Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, hint at deepening tensions.

Iain Watson provides a good analysis of the implications this could have for policy-making – loss of institutional memory and low morale will neither incentivise officials to work harder for less nor give ministers trusted advice at a time when they need it most.

Hilton’s departure in itself won’t rapidly transform deteriorating relationships. The forthcoming civil service white paper will see to it that arguments around how the civil service should be run will be debated fully and vigorously over the coming months.

David Walker wrote about the white paper on The Guardian Public Leaders Network last week: “Expect more leaks, expect more disloyalty, expect dysfunction.” And, talking of leaks, we bid a fond farewell not just to Steve Hilton himself but to @stevehiltonguru, the alter ego that knows far more than he should about what is going on behind closed doors at No.10. You will be missed.

One thing everyone in politics loves – with the exception of cabinet ministers – is a good reshuffle.  And the government has so far (minor tweaks aside) disappointed us.  Discussing the rumours of a summer reshuffle this morning, we got to thinking – what would happen to the Libs in a reshuffle?

One of the reasons for the lack of movement in the cabinet has been the problem of the coalition – there must be a certain number of Lib Dem ministers.  But which of these would be moved if a reshuffle were to occur soon?  Vince Cable is in a strong position, and is still a popular politician with the public.  Ed Davey has only been at DECC for a few months; Danny Alexander is doing a great job in the Treasury and is part of the ominous-sounding Quad; and Michael Moore would need to be replaced by someone who really gets Scottish politics – Alistair Carmichael would be the obvious choice, but his success as chief whip means it would be hard to replace him.

So, a quick thought for a Tuesday morning – can you have a reshuffle without moving any of the Lib Dem members of Cabinet?

The election of Francois Hollande in France has been followed in the UK with closer interest than usual. Elected on an anti-austerity platform, and coming soon after the drubbing received by the coalition parties in the local elections, commentators have pondered the implications for the policy direction taken by Cameron, Osborne and Clegg, and by Ed Miliband. There is also the little question of what Hollande’s election will mean for the EU fiscal pact and the future of the Eurozone and, by extension, the European Union.

Coming to a cul-de-sac near you: Les Bleus

One of the scenarios perhaps given a little less attention is what this all means for those to be governed by Hollande over the next quinquennat - the French themselves.  Not so by Douglas Carswell MP, the renegade Conservative MP for Clacton, however, with his blog predicting a wave of French political emigres to these shores – the new Huguenots. Indeed, events in France have almost made Carswell feel a little better about Britain – with the emphasis on almost.