Civil servants demand better complaints system to deal with claims of bullying by ministers
TOP civil servants are demanding a new complaints system to deal with any alleged bullying by ministers, in the wake of a row with Priti Patel.
They say permanent secretaries such as Sir Philip Rutnam, who was said to have clashed with Ms Patel, have no formal complaints mechanism except to ask the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, to raise their concerns with the Prime Minister.
They want a similar system as that introduced after alleged bullying of staff in Parliament by MPS including John Bercow, the former speaker, to protect employees at the Palace of Westminster from abuse at the hands of politicians.
Dave Penman, of the First Division Association, a union representing senior civil servants, said the clash between Ms Patel and Sir Philip “laid bare the inadequacy of the current process that is neither transparent, formal nor independent”. Ms Patel faced claims she had bullied and belittled staff after she tried to remove Sir Philip. Her supporters strongly denied this. Sir Philip in turn was accused of “obstructing” and “undermining” successive home secretaries in his three years as permanent secretary.
Mr Penman said it was “unconscionable”
‘Civil servants deserve to feel safe and respected and ministers deserve to have complaints dealt with’
that civil servants working just 100 yards from the Palace of Westminster should not have a similar “clear and independent” process for investigating complaints. “Civil servants deserve to feel safe and respected in their workplace, and ministers deserve to have complaints dealt with,” he said.
It came as Ms Patel faced fresh allegations of bullying at other departments where she had been minister, denied by allies as “malicious gossip.”
Sir Philip also faced a backlash, accused of overseeing a “culture of politicised leaks” at the Home Office. A former insider told the Politico website he had thrown “his deputy and others under the bus” during the Windrush scandal. He added: “Then, just like now, he oversaw a culture of politicised leaks and egotistical briefing from the department.”
Sir David Normington, an ex-permanent secretary, said Ms Patel and Sir Philip should work in “lockstep” and “get through the storms”.
He said tensions could arise as ministers wanted to implement their manifesto while civil servants were there to present facts and evidence, which could sometimes be “unwelcome.”
♦ Nearly £1 million of taxpayers’ money has been spent covering the legal costs of MPS accused of wrongdoing by their staff since 2016, it has emerged. More than £950,000 was paid for employment practices liability insurance, covering unfair dismissal, discrimination and harassment. Last night trade union leaders warned the payouts, disclosed by The Times, highlighted the need for a major overhaul of Parliament’s disciplinary processes.