Don’t drag civil service into Brexit rows, Cabinet Secretary warns MPs
2 min read
Britain’s top mandarin has vowed to “resist” efforts to drag the civil service into political rows about Brexit, according to a leaked letter.
In a message to senior officials, Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill acknowledged that Britain’s EU departure is “unsettling” for those working in government.
And he announced plans to spend the month on a tour of the country to understand the pressures facing officials at the “sharp end”.
In the letter, first seen by Sky News, Sir Mark says Boris Johnson’s government “has set an ambitious agenda and a breakneck pace as they develop their domestic programme and seek to deliver Brexit by 31 October”.
“With only a few weeks to the crucial October European Council and the decisions thereafter, we must step up another gear,” he tells civil servants.
But the Cabinet Secretary makes clear that the civil service is feeling the strain of fierce political rows over Britain's EU exit.
Sir Mark says: “I realise that this is an unsettling period. Brexit polarises public opinion and civil servants are not immune from those pressures. The record level of public trust in the Civil Service is a precious asset we must all protect. At the heart of that trust is the citizen’s confidence in our commitment to our values, and to our serving with integrity the governments they elect. Our advice must be candid. Our attitude must be can-do."
And he adds: "Rest assured, I am mindful of my own constitutional responsibilities, but I will continue to resist attempts to draw the Civil Service into the argument. These are political issues and they are for politicians to resolve."
Brexit, Sir Mark says, is "not just a deadline" - with the organisation's "main effort" still to come once the UK leaves the EU on 31 October.
"Together, we lead an extraordinary institution in extraordinary times," he says.
"Please make sure you find the time to talk through the context and the challenges with your teams and with colleagues from across the public service. That will also give confidence to our people, as we equip ourselves to deliver the programmes on which this and future governments are elected."
The civil service has frequently found itself in the firing line as Britain prepares to quit the EU.
Last month Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage accused Theresa May of handing out a "reward for selling our country down the river" after she handed a knighthood to her chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins.
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