Government departments are resisting the speedy imposition of a new policy curbing the operation of woke ‘staff networks’ including diversity networks. What did you expect…
The key plank of reforms announced by the Cabinet Office in September instructed that “all events will need to be signed off by a senior civil servant and must take place outside of working hours.” Nick Thomas Symonds also put through guidance on diversity networks supposed to reinforce “the need to promote all view points equally, and ensure their role – to promote equality and inclusion in the civil service for everyone – is not lost in pursuit of a particular issue.” Unfortunately promoting all view points equally is antithetical to specific diversity networks…
The Cabinet Office enforced the new rules on Civil Service-wide networks but departments had to adopt them for their own departments subsequently. It is internal departmental diversity networks that get up to the majority of woke guff…
Guido has enquired on the departments’ progress. It’s going at a snail’s pace:
- ❌ MOD: Not adopted. “The Defence Diversity and Inclusion Team is reviewing the new Cabinet Office Network Policy at pace and will be updating JSP 890 (Defence’s Network Policy) accordingly. A date cannot be confirmed until the conclusion of the Defence Diversity and Inclusion Team’s review of the Cabinet Office Network Policy.”
- ❌ DHSC: Not adopted. “We are currently reviewing the model policy and engaging with networks within the department to ensure it covers the needs of our organisation. The DHSC Staff Network Policy is expected to be launched in early 2026 and will be based on the model Civil Service Staff Network Policy.”
- ❌ FCDO: Not adopted. “The FCDO is in a transitionary phase of adopting the Civil Service Staff Network Policy launched in September 2025. We are applying what we can from the Civil Service policy now, such as more senior clearance on Staff Network activity and testing what takes place in working hours. The FCDO is developing policy on how to apply the Civil Service policy internally. The policy will be implemented once decisions on this are made.“
- ❌ Government Legal Department: Not adopted. “GLD is in the process of adopting the Civil Service Staff Network Policy that was launched in September 2025. The planned date for publishing the adopted GLD Staff Network Policy is 15 December.”
- ❌ Treasury: Not adopted. “HM Treasury is in the process of adopting the model policy and expects to implement it by the end of the financial year.”
- ❌ Defra: Not adopted. “Defra has not yet adopted the model Civil Service Staff Network Policy but intends to implement an adapted version of it to reflect the Civil and Public Service workforces which make up Defra group. This will be launched in February 2026.”
- ❌ DfT: Not adopted. “There is currently no fixed date for adoption of the policy in DfT.”
- ❌ DBT: Not adopted. “Subject to an indicative timeline, DBT plans to adapt and adopt the new Cabinet Office Staff Network Policy by the end of this financial year, 31 March 2026.“
In classic Civil Service style some departments have given themselves six months to change some basic rules on what staff can do in working hours. This is hardly regular – DCMS and the Scotland Office have adopted the new rules already…
DCMS adds: “Our HR team will continue to work closely with staff networks to ensure we maintain the inclusive culture we are proud of at DCMS.” Something has to keep the woke HR staff in frappucinos…
