The Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency – Jacob Rees-Mogg – has put himself at risk of anger from numerous civil servants by going around vacant desks in Whitehall and pinning notes on them telling the missing occupants that they should no longer be working from home.
It has led to him standing accused of being labelled a “nasty patronising man” in his quest to get workers back to the office following two years of carrying out duties from their houses. The MP for North East Somerset has been at the forefront of a campaign to return to normal in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Writing to members of the Cabinet earlier in the week, Mr Rees-Mogg emphasised his belief in the benefits of face-to-face collaborative working and how that that would help the economy recover more quickly. The printed note apparently left by the Conservative politician was photographed and circulated widely on social media. It read: “Sorry you were out when I visited. I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon. With every good wish, Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP. Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency”.
Mikey Smith, Whitehall Correspondent for the Mirror, reported on Saturday morning that Mr Rees-Mogg's office had confirmed that the missive was genuine.
The Rees-Mogg note triggered an avalanche of responses, with many stating that officials could well have been away from their desks legitimately – as indeed Mr Rees-Mogg himself must have been – and that any campaign to enforce the practice of working from home could encourage highly qualified civil servants deserting government to work, possibly with better pay and conditions, in the private sector.
Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for Rhondda, wrote on Twitter: “What a nasty patronising man he is.” That comment drew its own slew of responses, both in favour and against. Those who agreed with Mr Bryant called Mr Rees-Mogg's note "passive aggressive" bordering upon "bullying", while those who disagreed called stay-at-home civil servants "workshy" and accused them of "watching TV instead of getting on with what they are paid to do".
According to an article published on the Huffington Post website that claimed that up to 75 per cent of Whitehall staff were still reportedly working from home, Mr Rees-Mogg "accompanied his letter with a league table showing how many staff in each government department were attending the office on an average day".
General secretary of the union representing senior civil servants Dave Penman called Mr Rees-Mogg's circular "vindictive", adding that ministers were out of step with current practice in the private sector.
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