Civil servants will no longer be allowed to wear multi-coloured lanyards after claims they should leave their “political views at the building entrance.”
Tory Minister Seeks to Ban Rainbow Lanyard
A Tory Minister has issued an attempt to ban the rainbow lanyard that civil servants wear upon entering their building.
McVey Urges Political Neutrality
The Common Sense Minister, Esther McVey, suggested that those employed by The Crown must maintain neutrality upon entry to the buildings of Parliament.
Enough With “Random” Uniforms
McVey called the current lanyards chosen to be worn by certain civil servants “random” arguing that there should be a more uniformed approach.
Uniform Change Needed
McVey suggested that a “very simple but visible change” was needed in order to prevent civil servants from bringing their political opinions to their clothing.
Lanyards Mustn’t Be “Random Pick and Mix”
The Common Sense Minister insisted the lanyards worn by civil servants “shouldn’t be a random pick and mix” and should all look the same.
No Politics in Civil Service
McVey believes that civil servants should not enter the building with their political views on display, calling for a complete uniform reform.
McVey’s Take on Civil Service Work
According to McVey, “Working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance.”
Lanyards as a Political Piece
McVey continued to argue that ministers should not be allowed to display political opinions “by the back door via lanyards”.
Encouraging “Inclusive” Workplace
McVey said that in order to encourage a “happy and inclusive” workplace, civil servants must replace their lanyards with that of “standard design.”
Proposed Lanyard Regulations
Although she didn’t specifically point out the rainbow lanyards as the reason, McVey hinted that those expressing support for LGBTQ+ issues may not be suitable with the new regulations.
Number 10 Defends Actions
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister responded to the backlash of the announcement, defending the actions of the Common Sense Minister.
Non-Proscriptive Changes
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson, who is known to be a stern critic of ‘virtue signalling’, revealed that the changes would not be “proscriptive.”
An Expectation on Civil Servants Moving Forward
Downing Street labelled the change “an update on impartiality and how civil servants would be expected to behave.”
A Distraction From the Work
McVey argued that politicising trivial items like lanyards distracts civil servants from the job at hand, a statement that Defence Secretary Grant Shapps agreed upon.
Defence Minister’s Reaction
In an interview, Shapps said he did not personally care what colour lanyards civil servants chose to wear, although he admitted he agreed with McVey on some things.
Shapps Not Concerned by Coloured Lanyard
Shapps said, “Personally, I don’t mind people expressing their views on these things. It doesn’t, you know, what lanyard somebody wears, doesn’t particularly concern me.
Political Connotations of Lanyards a Distraction
Shapps agreed that the colour of lanyards and political connotations that come with it could distract the civil servants from getting on with their jobs.
Shapps Urges Civil Servants to “Get on With the Main Job”
“But I do think, and this is where I think Esther McVey has a point that what we want is our civil servants to be getting on with the main job,” Shapps insisted.
Denying Claims of Cabinet Unrest
Despite claims that there was a disagreement among the Cabinet after the announcement, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson has denied such reports.
Potential Backlash on the Horizon
The decision to ban multi-coloured lanyards will no doubt receive backlash from the public in the coming weeks.
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