Privileged Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg has launched a fresh attack on the “hopeless” and “rotten culture” of civil servants doing their work from home.
The multi-millionaire, who has a £5m mansion a few minutes’ walk from Parliament, complained too few commuters were at their Whitehall desks adding: “Even accounting for summer holidays, this is hopeless.”
It came as he defended Liz Truss ’s leaked remarks that British workers needed “more graft” like their overstretched counterparts in China.
Labour said Ms Truss's remarks were "grossly offensive", saying she had effectively branded British workers "lazy".
But Mr Rees-Mogg claimed criticism of her comments was “confected” and what she said while at the Treasury was “sensible”.
The Minister for Government Efficiency told the Mail on Sunday: "Liz Truss's sensible comments about poor productivity in the British economy attracted confected political criticism but they reflect an unfortunate reality in much of the British state.
"This is not good for the Government, or for the public as a whole."
It comes after The Times reported the Old Etonian MP for North East Somerset is being lined up as Ms Truss’s Levelling-Up Secretary.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham quipped: “Heaven knows I’m miserable now”.
Mr Rees-Mogg has repeatedly complained about the number of civil servants in the office and left “passive-aggressive” notes on their desks.
He is not the first ally to defend Liz Truss’s leaked comments, which were broadcast by The Guardian.
Last week Kit Malthouse doubled down, saying: "Every single school report I ever had said, ‘could try harder’.
"So I don't think there's anything wrong with encouraging people to work as hard as they possibly can."
While chief secretary to the Treasury, a role she held between 2017 and 2019, Ms Truss said: "There's a fundamental issue of British working culture.
"Essentially, if we're going to be a richer country and a more prosperous country, that needs to change. But I don't think people are that keen to change that."
She added there was a "slight thing in Britain about wanting the easy answers", before saying: "But actually what needs to happen is more... more graft. It's not a popular message."
Ms Truss also said that productivity was "very, very different in London from the rest of the country", claiming this was "partly a mindset and attitude thing".
