Eu Referendum: Boris Johnson Tells Staff To Back His Stance

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35749084

Is Boris playing fair here ? His stance in the in/out debate is a personal one, so why can't other members of his staff at the Mayors Office have their personal views as well ?

[jim360]

The Today Programme is reporting that it was actually Boris Johnson's Chief of Staff who made this decision, and BoJo, having found out recently, has over-ruled him already.

[mikey4444]

Thanks Jim...I am missing the Today Program this morning.

[anotheoldgit]

/// In his role as chief of staff Ed Lister advised the team that as official mayoral policy is now to support the case for leaving the EU they are requested to support that position when undertaking official City Hall business." ///

[Old_Geezer]

One can see a desire for the official office view to be consistent, but given that parliament has an open vote it was bound to attract criticism for the London Mayor office not to follow that lead. Not a wise move whoever made the decision.

[Hypognosis]

Civil Servants are supposed to be politically neutral but, simultaneously, must execute the policies of the incumbent. If this appears contradictory then join the club.

I'm unaware if the Civil Service Code (part of their terms and conditions of employment) is accessable online but you may find that *political campaigning* is specifically forbidden. If standing for election, they have to resign before hustings commence and there are rapid re-employment arrangements, should they fail to win their seat.

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35749084

[Hypognosis]

@Mikey4444

I'd literally just finished reading the OP link and the page, now you've re-linked to it (note the serial number is unchanged) has been revised.

From the original

//The email also notes that because it is a referendum and not an election "you are all able to be involved in the campaign as you may wish (but without using the authority's resources for your personal activities)."
//

The email in the photo also says (because…) "there are no partiez and candidates". I agree there are no candidates but "no parties"? That's not how I see it.

[Gromit]

Rather than a cock up, it looks like a gaffe after all his bluster about the BCC chief. But I would support the original email which Boris is now trying desperately to didown. While on public duty, employees of the Mayors office should follow Boris' edicts and not contradict them. How they vote in private is up to them, but while representing the Mayor, they should not condradict him.

Unfortunately Boris has caved in and...
// the memo had been "wiped from the page of history" //

Or rather he wishes it had.

[mikey4444]

As I understand it, the fact that Boris is in favour of leaving the EU is his personal position, not in his capacity as mayor. So, his employees can voice whatever opinions they want, because the Office of Mayor hasn't taken a stance one way or another.

This to me looks like a gaff that Boris would have wished he could have got away with.

His "wiped from the page of history" doesn't fool me for one moment ,and anyway, its impossible.

[Togo]

//Mr Johnson today said: 'Nobody has been gagged, I was only made aware of this edict very late last night and it ceased to be operative.'
He continued: 'It obviously hasn’t been operative because you’ve got members of my advisory teams taking a very different view from me.
'So they can, so they shall, with complete impunity too, by the way. So there you go.'//

Those were Boris's words. Just to save anyone the trouble of having to put words in his mouth.