FDA says Turnbull's remarks 'wrong and destructive' - 9 May 2007

Calling Lord Andrew Turnbull's remarks about the Chancellor in March 'wrong and destructive', FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume will call on the next Prime Minister to introduce a Civil Service Act when he addresses the FDA's Annual Delegate Conference in London tomorrow. "The comments by Lord Turnbull, a former Cabinet Secretary, about the Chancellor's personality and way of working, which hit the headlines a couple of months ago, were wrong and destructive. "There was no excuse. Whatever Lord Turnbull’s views about the Chancellor, he had a duty to set an example to all serving and former civil servants and keep them to himself. If the duty of, and respect for, confidentiality continues to erode, then it will be lost forever and the consequence will be ever greater pressure to move to a political civil service."

Baume will emphasise that the trust must be mutual. "That duty must be matched by politicians. No more Ministers trashing their own departments.

"I hope that Prime Minister Brown will take the important step of introducing a Civil Service Act. Such an Act would be an important step in helping to reinforce the relationship between Ministers and civil servants, and reinforcing values and standards in public life. It would also serve as an important reminder to civil servants of their obligations.

He will say that introducing an Act "would be easy to do. A draft Government bill was published some three years ago and is still sitting on the shelves."

Notes for Editors
1. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing 17,000 of the UK's senior civil and public servants. Our members include policy advisors, senior managers, tax inspectors, economists, statisticians, accountants, special advisers, government lawyers, diplomats, crown prosecutors and NHS managers.
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