Exclusive: Home Office Staff Given Security Advice Over Immigration Protest Fears
Home Office staff have been given security advice amid fears over protests about the government’s migrant crackdown, HuffPost UK has learned.
The tips are designed to help them avoid being identified as civil servants by members of the public.
The revelation came as controversy continues to rage over Illegal Migration Bill published by home secretary Suella Braverman this week.
It would give ministers the power to deport any asylum seekers who come to the UK via an illegal route, such as on a small boat across the English Channel, and ban them from ever getting UK citizenship.
Braverman is also at the centre of a row over an email that went out in her name accusing “left wing” civil servants of being part of a “blob” trying to frustrate the government’s immigration policies.
She has insisted that the email was sent out by Conservative Party HQ and she had no knowledge of it.
The security advice to Home Office staff was revealed in a letter from Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA civil servants’ union, to Rishi Sunak yesterday.
In it, he demanded an apology for the Braverman email, which he said could have broke the ministerial code.
He added: “This cowardly attack on civil servants, whom the home secretary knows are unable to publicly defend themselves, also risks further stoking tensions over a matter which has previously resulted in violent clashes with protesters.
“Staff at 2 Marsham Street [Home Office HQ] have already been advised about security precautions to avoid being identified.”
HuffPost UK understands the security advice was tightened following a number of protests outside the building.
The Home Office would not comment.
Braverman sent an email to all Home Office staff yesterday praising them for their work on the new bill.
praised the “outstanding support from the whole department” and said officials’ work had been a “credit to the department and the civil service”.
She said: “There’s much more to do as the bill makes its way through parliament and we then turn to operationalising it, but yesterday was the critical first step. Thank you.”