Fury as civil servants warn of strike over Rwanda deal

Civil servants are on a collision course with Conservative MPs after threatening to strike over the government’s Rwanda plan and small boats bill.

- ADAM FORREST & LIZZIE DEARDEN

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, representing workers at the Home Office and Border Force, said demoralised staff fear being forced to break the law and could “explore” industrial action.

But senior Tories said a threat to walk out over the key parts of the government’s asylum policy was “appalling” and “unacceptable”.

Jacob Rees-Mogg – who has claimed a left-wing Whitehall “blob” is out to thwart the government – said staff going on strike over policy would amount to quitting their jobs.

The former cabinet minister said: “Refusing to carry out the policy of the elected government is not going on strike but resigning. A politically impartial civil service must carry out lawful policies.”

Former home secretary Priti Patel also condemned the idea of strike action, insisting the civil service must “respect the policies and legislation of a democratically elected government”.

Ex-justice secretary Robert Buckland – a Tory moderate who has been critical of some aspects of the small boats bill – joined right-wingers in warning against walkouts. “If the policy is lawful, it is not for civil servants to strike or refuse to cooperate,” he said.

Home secretary Suella Braverman’s highly controversial Illegal Migration Bill aims to detain and deport all asylum seekers and modern slavery victims who arrive on small boats without considering their claims. The UN Refugee Agency said in March that the plans were a “clear breach” of international law and “amount to an asylum ban”.

Ms Braverman has said it is her “dream” to see small boat arrivals deported to Rwanda, but the scheme remains mired in ongoing legal action.