UK
Unions destroy Esther McVey’s plan to scrap rainbow lanyards and diversity jobs from civil service
Today
Left Foot Forward
'You have to wonder why Esther McVey feels so threatened by a rainbow lanyard that it deserves so much of her time'
Unions representing workers in the civil service have hit out at Esther McVey’s ‘virtue signalling’ as the so-called ‘Minister for Common Sense’ announced plans to ban rainbow lanyards and diversity jobs.
Speaking at the Tory Centre for Policy Studies, McVey told the audience she wanted “a visible change to occur to the lanyards we use to carry out security passes” as she went on, “working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance”.
The minister without portfolio also said she will crack down on jobs dedicated to inclusion and diversity, as she described the roles as “woke hobby horses” in her latest “war on woke” in the civil service.
Her supposedly ‘common sense’ proposals been blasted with heavy criticism, with the Tory MP condemned for “playing politics” with civil servant’s livelihoods and well-being, in the name of a “hostile culture war agenda”.
Speaking to Henry Riley on LBC, the General Secretary of the FDA union, Dave Penman, said: “You have to wonder why Esther McVey feels so threatened by a rainbow lanyard that it deserves so much of her time, when public services are on their knees and government departments are cutting back services.
“Pandering to a narrow, hostile culture war agenda against the civil service will not create “harmony, unity & inclusivity”, it will create division, resentment and anger, but then she knows that.”
Assistant General Secretary of the FDA union, Lucille Thirlby, said the government’s proposals were “extraordinary” as she called the minister out for “virtue signalling” and suggested that the Conservatives spent more time focusing on delivering quality public services.
“Nobody joins the civil service in order to ‘impose their own political ideology’.. when the country is facing challenges, should the colour of a civil servant’s lanyard really be a ministerial priority?” said Thirlby.
“Equality, diversity and inclusion is a serious topic worthy of serious consideration and debate. Unfortunately, we got nothing of the sort from Esther McVey, who instead rattled off of a tick list of culture-war talking points.”
Fran Heathcote, General Secretary of the PCS union which also represents civil servants, accused McVey of “playing politics with our members’ livelihoods and well-being”.
“Time and again, evidence shows an equal and diverse workforce is a more productive workforce,” Heathcote said.
“Esther McVey is playing politics with our members’ livelihoods and well-being. She would be better spending her time, and her department’s money, on improving our members’ pay and working conditions.”
Political editor David Osland summed up a mood: “If only Esther McVey was as angry about hungry school children as she is about rainbow lanyards.”
'You have to wonder why Esther McVey feels so threatened by a rainbow lanyard that it deserves so much of her time'
Unions representing workers in the civil service have hit out at Esther McVey’s ‘virtue signalling’ as the so-called ‘Minister for Common Sense’ announced plans to ban rainbow lanyards and diversity jobs.
Speaking at the Tory Centre for Policy Studies, McVey told the audience she wanted “a visible change to occur to the lanyards we use to carry out security passes” as she went on, “working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance”.
The minister without portfolio also said she will crack down on jobs dedicated to inclusion and diversity, as she described the roles as “woke hobby horses” in her latest “war on woke” in the civil service.
Her supposedly ‘common sense’ proposals been blasted with heavy criticism, with the Tory MP condemned for “playing politics” with civil servant’s livelihoods and well-being, in the name of a “hostile culture war agenda”.
Speaking to Henry Riley on LBC, the General Secretary of the FDA union, Dave Penman, said: “You have to wonder why Esther McVey feels so threatened by a rainbow lanyard that it deserves so much of her time, when public services are on their knees and government departments are cutting back services.
“Pandering to a narrow, hostile culture war agenda against the civil service will not create “harmony, unity & inclusivity”, it will create division, resentment and anger, but then she knows that.”
Assistant General Secretary of the FDA union, Lucille Thirlby, said the government’s proposals were “extraordinary” as she called the minister out for “virtue signalling” and suggested that the Conservatives spent more time focusing on delivering quality public services.
“Nobody joins the civil service in order to ‘impose their own political ideology’.. when the country is facing challenges, should the colour of a civil servant’s lanyard really be a ministerial priority?” said Thirlby.
“Equality, diversity and inclusion is a serious topic worthy of serious consideration and debate. Unfortunately, we got nothing of the sort from Esther McVey, who instead rattled off of a tick list of culture-war talking points.”
Fran Heathcote, General Secretary of the PCS union which also represents civil servants, accused McVey of “playing politics with our members’ livelihoods and well-being”.
“Time and again, evidence shows an equal and diverse workforce is a more productive workforce,” Heathcote said.
“Esther McVey is playing politics with our members’ livelihoods and well-being. She would be better spending her time, and her department’s money, on improving our members’ pay and working conditions.”
Political editor David Osland summed up a mood: “If only Esther McVey was as angry about hungry school children as she is about rainbow lanyards.”
Tory Minister accused of ‘deliberately misleading the public’ with conspiracy theory claims
Hannah Davenport
TweetShareWhatsAppMail
Tory Health Minister Maria Caulfield has been slammed for spreading false claims linked to ‘15-minute cities’ as she faces calls to report herself to the ministerial ethics adviser.
Leaflets from the MP for Lewes stated a misleading claim that some councils in England would be introducing a road toll system under the so-called ‘15-minute cities’ plan. It came days before the leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt introduced a conspiracy theories guide for MPs, which included ’15-minute cities’.
Caulfield said that the two largest parties on the district council, the Lib Dems and Greens, were planning to introduce a scheme where people would have to pay a congestion charge to drive more than 15-minutes from their home, something both parties have said is completely untrue.
Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Daisy Cooper said the leaflets were “dishonest” and accused the minister of “deliberately misleading the public to save her own job”.
She called for Caulfield to apologise to the local people and report her leaflet to the ethics adviser, stating, “that would be the honest and decent thing to do.”
“After years of Conservative sleaze and scandal, the public desperately wants a return to integrity in politics, yet Maria Caulfield is spreading baseless claims,” said Cooper. “This is a new low for the Conservative party.”
During an interview on Politics South East, Caulfied defended her claims despite being told by the reporter that it was misleading. Journalist and activist George Monbiot said her comments were “really disturbing” as he accused the minister of spreading “a blatant conspiracy fiction”.
Monbiot wrote on X: “When ministers spread potent fictions like this, and refuse to back down when shown they are wrong, you can see what remains of standards in public life collapsing in real time.”
He also called for Caulfield to issue a public correction and to apologise.
She’s not the first Tory MP to spread false ’15-minute city’ theories. During the Conservative Party conference in 2023 Transport Secretary Mark Harper suggested local councils were involved in a ‘sinister’ misuse of so-called ‘15-minute cities’ to ‘police’ people’s movement.
It comes as MPs have now been given a new guide to conspiracy theories that includes ‘15 minute cities’, which the document defines as a claim that urban design principles of 15-minute cities is a means of controlling movement and personal freedoms.
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
TweetShareWhatsAppMail
Tory Health Minister Maria Caulfield has been slammed for spreading false claims linked to ‘15-minute cities’ as she faces calls to report herself to the ministerial ethics adviser.
Leaflets from the MP for Lewes stated a misleading claim that some councils in England would be introducing a road toll system under the so-called ‘15-minute cities’ plan. It came days before the leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt introduced a conspiracy theories guide for MPs, which included ’15-minute cities’.
Caulfield said that the two largest parties on the district council, the Lib Dems and Greens, were planning to introduce a scheme where people would have to pay a congestion charge to drive more than 15-minutes from their home, something both parties have said is completely untrue.
Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Daisy Cooper said the leaflets were “dishonest” and accused the minister of “deliberately misleading the public to save her own job”.
She called for Caulfield to apologise to the local people and report her leaflet to the ethics adviser, stating, “that would be the honest and decent thing to do.”
“After years of Conservative sleaze and scandal, the public desperately wants a return to integrity in politics, yet Maria Caulfield is spreading baseless claims,” said Cooper. “This is a new low for the Conservative party.”
During an interview on Politics South East, Caulfied defended her claims despite being told by the reporter that it was misleading. Journalist and activist George Monbiot said her comments were “really disturbing” as he accused the minister of spreading “a blatant conspiracy fiction”.
Monbiot wrote on X: “When ministers spread potent fictions like this, and refuse to back down when shown they are wrong, you can see what remains of standards in public life collapsing in real time.”
He also called for Caulfield to issue a public correction and to apologise.
She’s not the first Tory MP to spread false ’15-minute city’ theories. During the Conservative Party conference in 2023 Transport Secretary Mark Harper suggested local councils were involved in a ‘sinister’ misuse of so-called ‘15-minute cities’ to ‘police’ people’s movement.
It comes as MPs have now been given a new guide to conspiracy theories that includes ‘15 minute cities’, which the document defines as a claim that urban design principles of 15-minute cities is a means of controlling movement and personal freedoms.
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
No comments:
Post a Comment