JACOB Rees-Mogg is feeling the wrath of union leaders after demanding the “rapid return” of civil servants to their Whitehall workplaces.
In a letter to Cabinet members, the Brexit opportunities and government efficiency minister said they needed to issue a “clear message” to their departments that with the end of Covid restrictions in England, officials should be back in the office. The call has since been backed by Boris Johnson.
Rees-Mogg argued that ending working from home would bring the benefits of “face-to-face, collaborative working” as well as delivering wider benefits for the economy.
No MP or member of government, with the exception of the Prime Minister and Chancellor, have a shorter commute to Downing Street than Rees-Mogg. “His substantial home is within 100 metres of Parliament, most civil servants can’t even afford to buy in furthest zones of London,” journalist Vincent McAviney tweeted.
In 2018, it was reported the Conservative MP bought a £5 million, five-storey mansion close to Parliament and Downing Street.
Rees-Mogg’s call was branded “vindictive” by Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA representing senior civil servants, who said the Tory government was out of step with practice in the private sector.
With up to three-quarters of staff still reportedly working from home, the efficiency minister accompanied his letter with a league table showing how many staff in each Government department were attending the office on an average day.
“Now that we are learning to live with Covid and have lifted all legal restrictions in England, we must continue to accelerate the return of civil servants to office buildings to realise the benefits of face-to-face, collaborative working and the wider benefits for the economy.
“To deliver this, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Steve Barclay, and I, urge you to issue a clear message to civil servants in your department to ensure a rapid return to the office.”
READ MORE: Jacob Rees-Mogg in public spat with archbishop over Rwanda scheme
A Whitehall source quoted by the Telegraph said there was a minority of hard-working officials who were in the office “all the time” while “a silent majority of people aren’t pulling their weight”.
The comments infuriated Penman, who accused the ministers of behaving like “Luddites” while the private sector embraced the benefits of flexible working.
“There is no rationale for this. Ministers can’t point to productivity losses, which is why it’s always anonymous sources making the insulting accusations,” he said.
“Ministers’ obsession with ending flexible working and micro-managing the Civil Service increasingly just looks vindictive.
“Jacob Rees-Mogg is the minister for government efficiency, yet that isn’t even a consideration in his correspondence with ministers.
“The private sector has embraced hybrid working, recognising the efficiencies it delivers and competitive edge it gives to employers in a tight labour market.
“Meanwhile, the Luddites in Cabinet insist on micro-managing the Civil Service, which will only deter good people from joining while simultaneously demotivating those already there.
Number 10 says the Prime Minister will be playing “an active role” in encouraging ministers and senior civil servants to get back to the office.
Johnson's official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister feels that it’s important that we make best use of our taxpayer-funded departments, which are not returning everyone to the levels we saw before the pandemic.
“This is not simply about value for money for taxpayer-funded buildings, but to benefit the staff, particularly junior staff, who benefit from face-to-face working.”
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