Jacob Rees-Mogg condemned over ‘nasty’ notes left for civil servants working from home

Cabinet Office minister branded ‘a bully’ and ‘patronising’ after latest attack on staff not in the office

‘Someone introduce him to email and Zoom please,’ a Labour MP said of Jacob Rees-Mogg (Reuters)

Jacob Rees-Mogg is under fire after leaving bizarre notes on empty desks in an apparent attack on civil servants working from home.

The Cabinet Office minister has been branded “a bully and “patronising”, while other critics suggested his job overseeing “Brexit opportunities” was failing to give him enough to do.

The notes read: “Sorry you were out when I visited. I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon,” and are signed “with every good wish”.

But the on-the-surface politeness comes after Mr Rees-Mogg wrote to all cabinet ministers, demanding “a clear message to civil servants in your department to ensure a rapid return to the office”.

The minister, who is also in charge of “government efficiency” has also published a league table showing how many officials were at their desks on an average day this month.

Dave Penman, the head of the civil servants’ union the FDA, said he was “not sure this is real” when he first saw the notes, which were shared on Twitter.

“Haven’t seen one of those pristine green felt boards since I was a civil servant 25 years ago. If it is, it’s the most crass, condescending act I’ve seen from a minister,” he said.

Helen Morgan, a Liberal Democrat MP called it “a pointless nasty gesture”, while Labour’s Justin Madders said: “Someone introduce him to email and Zoom please.”

Others pointed to the infamous incident when Mr Rees-Mogg was photographed lolling on the Commons front bench, in September 2019.

That act was described as “the physical embodiment of arrogance, entitlement and contempt for parliament” – and the starkest example of a minister “lying in parliament”.

Other ministers have stepped up criticisms of departments and quangos which have retained “hybrid working” policies brought in because of Covid, requiring staff to be on site two days a week.

But they have been accused of ignorance in arguing that working from home means civil servants are less productive or efficient in their working.

Some officials say they have been told they can go into the office on a limited number of days, because there are no free desks or their building has been sold.