Ex-Foreign Office chief admits telling colleagues he voted Stay
L
ord Simon McDonald, the previous high civil servant on the Foreign Office, has admitted revealing to ministers and colleagues that he voted to stay within the European Union.
The peer stated he was talking to colleagues shocked at the results of the Brexit referendum, regardless of the Civil Service code demanding “impartiality”.
He made the admission in a documentary by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on the chaos that has reigned in UK politics since 2016.
The present airing on Monday additionally confirms conversations inside authorities suggesting former deputy prime minister Sir David Lidington may have changed Theresa May in No 10 to supply a second referendum on leaving the EU.
Lord McDonald is a controversial character amongst some Tory Brexiteers and performed a job within the downfall of Boris Johnson after leaving workplace.
He informed the BBC the principle feeling within the Foreign Office after the 2016 referendum was of “mourning”, including: “People were in tears. People were in shock.
“On this occasion, this solitary occasion, I decided to tell my colleagues and therefore let ministers know that I voted to remain in the European Union.”
Lord McDonald, who was the Foreign Office’s everlasting secretary between 2015 and 2020, stated he believed colleagues knew his place anyway.
“I was trying to maintain credibility and trying to convey a message to a group of people, most of whom I felt had voted to remain in the EU, that their personal feelings were beside the professional point,” he added.
He acknowledged that the Foreign Office board was “not entirely comfortable” with the transfer.
Former deputy cupboard secretary Helen MacNamara responded: “Wow… I don’t know why that would be a good or helpful thing.”
The code for civil servants requires they act with impartiality by by no means permitting “personal political views to determine any advice you give or your actions”.
Lord McDonald performed a job in Mr Johnson’s downfall as prime minister by revealing the Tory had been warned a few grievance towards Chris Pincher earlier than appointing him as a celebration whip.
Later within the documentary, Sir David confirms that the potential for him taking up as prime minister to name a second referendum had been mentioned as Mrs May struggled to get her Brexit deal by way of Parliament.
“Yes, that was what happened,” he stated, earlier than downplaying the probability of it occurring.
“Theresa was not going to go, that was very clear. And I certainly never made any suggestion to her or made any move against her. I would not have done so.”
Laura Kuenssberg: State Of Chaos is being broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm.