UK chief civil servant privately warns Boris Johnson against compulsion government workers back to office in the midst of growing anger in Whitehall over “scare tactics’, The Guardian learned.
Along with Simon Case, at least four permanent secretaries are the most senior civil servants in their department is also I realized that I raised the alarm over government rhetoric designed reverse the transition to work from-home activities during the Covid pandemic.
Spot checks on office works by Jacob Rees-Mogg, including “I’m sorry you out when I visited ‘notes left on empty tables of Whitehall, seen the Cabinet minister he was branded a “milk monitor” by disgruntled officials.
Case told prime minister over weekend when Rees-Mogg strategy was unreasonable and language against civil servants have gone too far. Source #10 said Case is completely on board with return to more face-to-face working.
On Monday, #10 backed Rees-Mogg approach amid split with Nadine Dorris over in office running drive what culture secretary called “Dickensian”.
Rees-Mogg wrote to cabinet ministers, urging them to force the staff to “return as soon as possible.” officeand left notes for absent civil servants with message: “I’m watching forward to see you in in office very soon”.
Among the rooms where he left call cards was national security secretariat in Cabinet of Ministers, which caused particular concern in Whitehall because employees were under a lot of pressure in the division where they work on sensitive material.
BUT government The source said that Rees-Mogg often had to move through other departments to get to it office at 100 Parliament Street, adding: “He is totally focused on parts of in government is under his control and not in the areas of other ministers.”
minister, who is an responsible for government efficiency, presented the figures to the cabinet last week shows some government departments were using 25% of office capacity in early April. Dorris Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) accounted for 43%.
Rees-Mogg is known to have walked in several places. government offices, including DCMS. During a visit to the Treasury, the Guardian was told that he had commented one official What are you first the man I saw working on This floor today”.
He also visited the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and was not impressed with in amount of empty tables so sent senior its officials a letter asking when they are going to shut in office given his apparent absence of use, sources said.
But The Guardian understands that the “threat” to not renew the lease was abandoned. He was ridiculed as “scare tactics” to force teams through government property to justify using them space. BUT government a source said: “SFO had short term reprieve and had their long term Inquiries for the extension was denied by two separate ministers.”
Several Permanent Secretaries also privately expressed disappointment with Rees-Mogg’s “stunt”. An official works in one of The major departments of Whitehall stated that their director of messages advised: “ignore it”.
Another source in Whitehall said civil service leaders are encouraging flexible working, with expectation of expenses one up to two days a week in in office. Civil service job site on Monday, more more than 1,600 jobs were advertised as having flexible working hours.
Trouble at Rhys-Mogg strategy also applies to ministers. One said: “I on team Nadine [Dorries] on This one. Who’s dreaming of this crap up? If the civil service is not working properly, reform it. Don’t wander round location of the physical equivalent of rolls his eyes on their tables.
Another Whitehall official said the push was creating feeling of injustice and warned that combined with wage freeze, this will affect staff retention leading to “the worst brain drain I’ve ever seen” with talented young staff eager to leave.
They are also pointed to treatment of junior staff in No. 10 and Cabinet over Partygate scandal, when government employees received or expect to receive fines for visit events with in prime minister or senior bosses.
Dave Penman general secretary of public service union The FDA stated, “I get a lot of messages from members saying they’ve had enough and are going to leave. They are not going to heal like This.
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“Ultimately, civil servants will put up with what’s happening on with cost of living and significant below inflation payment rise – but not this. It’s so demoralizing for civil servants, because in fact it is not based on do something with them work and best way deliver public Services.”
BUT government the spokesman said: “There are total agreement on government on there is clear benefits from face-to-facework together and we know what is especially important for training and development of new and junior members of staff. minister for Brexit opportunities and government Efficiency wrote to departments to highlight the importance of workplace attendance and require that they review existing guidance on minimal amount of Staff Days work in in office”.
Asked if Johnson supported Rees-Mogg’s position. policy of leaving a call cards at the vacant tables, the spokesman said, “What the minister strives to achieve it to do everything possible return the civil service to the pre-pandemic level… This is supported by the Cabinet of Ministers secretary and obviously prime minister”.
Referring to notes left on tables, Johnson “supports any initiative that encourages people back to work before the pandemic,” the spokesperson said. “We are not talking about putting an end to flexible work, which is still place in modern workplace, we are talking about a return to the pre-pandemic use of departmental buildings funded by taxpayers.
