Helping pro-Brexit ministers is banned

BRITAIN’S top mandarin has written to all civil servants telling them they may NOT provide support to ministers campaigning to leave the EU.

While civil servants will be expected to continue supporting Brexit-backing ministers in their normal Government business, it is “not appropriate or permissible” for them to provide briefings, write material for speeches or supply access to official papers in relation to the referendum campaign, said Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood.

Special advisers who want to work for a campaign team must seek the Prime Minister’s approval – and working full-time on a campaign means resigning their positions for the duration of the referendum.