I know someone who works v closely with Steve Barclay, and has also been in similar role with the previous Heath Secretaries Hancock, Javid and Coffey. Absolutely scathing about Barclay and says worst and most incompetent by a country mile over his predecessors. They are absolutely staggered that he has found his way to such a senior job. And this isn’t from someone who bashes Tories as praised Hancock and Javid as bosses.
Barclay seems clueless on resolving the dispute. Don’t know who is advising Sunak to think their approach to these disputes are going to play out well to the electorate.