The biggest Whitehall trade union has taken aim at Labour, accusing the new government of being ‘no better than the Tories’, after the first civil service job cuts were announced

The head of the Public and Commercial Services Union said the announcement of 400 voluntary redundancies in the Cabinet Office, from its staff of more than 6,300, was ‘extremely disappointing’.

Fran Heathcote hit out after it emerged that more than 10,000 civil servant jobs could be lost as departments try to make 5 per cent budget cuts demanded by the Treasury.

‘After a week of unacceptable civil service-bashing from members of the new government, this announcement is extremely disappointing,’ she said in a reference to Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial claim that ‘too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline’. 

Ms Heathcote went on: ‘People voted for change, not for a continuation of damaging plans to cut civil service jobs. Our members deserve better than to be told, just before Christmas, they might be losing their jobs in the New Year.’

The biggest Whitehall trade union has taken aim at Labour, accusing the new government of being ‘no better than the Tories ‘, after the first civil service job cuts were announced. Pictured: Keir Starmer

The head of the Public and Commercial Services Union said the announcement of 400 voluntary redundancies in the Cabinet Office, from its staff of more than 6,300, was ‘extremely disappointing’

Steve Thomas, of trade union Prospect, which also represents civil servants, added: ‘Prospect will support Cabinet Office civil servants affected by job losses or any increased workload.’

Labour believes that the Cabinet Office, which has 6,315 full-time staff, has become a ‘hodgepodge’ of government functions.

 It will now be ‘streamlined’ to focus on its central role of supporting the Prime Minister.

The department’s Permanent Secretary, Cat Little, told members of staff yesterday that 400 roles will go in a ‘voluntary exit scheme’.