Mark Serwotka condemns proposed changes to Civil Service Code

PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka has responded to comments made by the minister for illegal migration, Michael Tomlinson, that the government is planning to amend the civil service code to order civil servants to follow ministerial decisions, meaning that they must ignore judgments by the European Court of Human Rights halting Rwanda deportation flights.

PCS has been at the forefront on condemning and campaigning against the government's policies on immigration and has worked with Care4Calais on our humane alternative Safe Passage for Refugees

Speaking to The Guardian, Mark said: "This latest ruse by ministers is symptomatic of their desperation to keep their unlawful, unworkable and inhumane Rwanda scheme on life support.

“In continuing to push the scheme, ministers are acting unlawfully. Now they appear to be trying to force civil servants to do the same. This attempt to rewrite the Civil Service Code is an unacceptable attempt to make civil servants complicit in illegality. This is in itself unlawful.

“PCS will not allow it to stand. Our legal challenge to the Rwanda scheme led to the Supreme Court declaring the scheme unlawful. We will not hesitate to take further action through the courts to defend our members from this latest attack."