Civil servants rainbow lanyard row makes it to PMQs

A suggested ban on colourful campaign lanyards worn by civil servants to carry security passes has fuelled fiery exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions.

It comes after Esther McVey - who's been called the "minister for common sense" - said government employees should leave their personal political views "at the building entrance".

Making them wear a "standard" lanyard design was a "visible" way of showing that, she suggested.

Sir Keir Starmer seized on the Tory minister's speech to ridicule Rishi Sunak at PMQs.

• Sunak challenged over release of dangerous criminals

• Holyrood staff banned from wearing rainbow lanyard

"On Monday the prime minister treated us to his seventh relaunch in 18 months, he vowed to take on the dangers that threaten the country," said the Labour leader.

"So it was good to see the minister for common sense immediately take up that mantle by announcing a vital crackdown on the gravest of threats, colourful lanyards.

"Meanwhile, in the real world, after 14 years of Tory government, the prison system is in chaos."

Mr Sunak replied: "Civil service impartiality is an important principle that we're right to support, perhaps he could ask his chief of staff [Sue Gray] about that?"

Many Tories are still angry about how former senior civil servant Sue Gray moved to a top job with Labour.

The Labour leader was not finished with the lanyard issue, however, accusing Mr Sunak of "confiscating lanyards like a jumped-up milk monitor" as he pressed him on prison overcrowding.

In fact, it is not clear if civil servants will have their unofficial lanyards confiscated.

In her speech Ms McVey said: "The lanyard worn to carry security passes shouldn't be a random pick and mix, they should be a standard design reflecting that we are all members of the government delivering for the citizens of the UK.

"Working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance. Trying to introduce them by the back door via lanyards should not happen."

But there was no mention of lanyards, coloured or otherwise, in newly published guidance on diversity and inclusion in the civil service.

Civil servants must "always be guided by the core values of objectivity and impartiality set out in the Civil Service code when carrying out work in diversity and inclusion," the guide says.

Downing Street said Ms McVey's call for a lanyard ban was just "one specific example of an issue in relation to much broader principles that the guidance covers".

So will permanent secretaries, who run big government departments, be free to ignore it?

"Permanent secretaries should follow the guidance and follow their own judgment as to what it means for civil servants in their department to demonstrate that they are impartial."

In a separate development, Scottish Parliament staff are no longer allowed to wear rainbow lanyards - or other accessories that show support for social movements - at Holyrood.

All staff must now wear a generic purple lanyard to carry their security passes.