Militant civil servants threatening to strike rather than implement Rwanda deportation scheme
MILITANT civil servants are threatening to strike rather than implement the Government’s Rwanda deportation scheme.
The PCS Union said “nothing was off the table” in their opposition to the controversial small boats fix – even if the Court of Appeal decided it is legal.
But their strike threat was last night branded “unconstitutional” by a top lawyer.
Ministers are expecting a verdict from judges within weeks after the High Court decided the plan to send Channel arrivals to the African state was compliant with international law.
But the PCS said yesterday its 16,000 members across the Home Office and Border Force were subject to “constant downwards political pressure”.
Head of bargaining Paul O’Connor, whose union is part of the legal appeal against the Rwanda policy, said they were “ruling absolutely nothing out in terms of responses to look after the welfare of our members”.
“The government is fighting a losing battle, not just on the policy issue itself but with its own workforce who they’re going to task with implementing it,” he told the Independent.
But top KC Lord Wolfson hit back: “It is no answer for a civil servant to refuse to do something ordered by a Minister, on the authority of Parliament, because it might, or might arguably, involve a breach of international law.
He added: “it’s not for the Public and Commercial Services Union – regardless of what you think about the Bill – to change our constitution.
“If I were a civil servant, I’d obey lawful instructions, i.e as passed by or given under the authority of Parliament, or I’d resign.”
The strike threat came as UN warns UK asylum system is trying to do “too much, too quickly, and with inadequate training”.