The cabinet minister sparked an online discussion after encouraging a return to office by leaving notes in Whitehall vacancies with the message: “I look forward to seeing you at the office very soon.” Asked if the notes were intended to scare people back into the office, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “No, no, no – I have a number of responsibilities, one of which is the State Property Service. “We have a very expensive property in London, it is there for use. If people do not use it – they do not need office space in first class London – they can be elsewhere. “And so people either have to come to work or the office space can be redistributed to people who will use it.” He acknowledged that their numbers were not enough to defeat the government, adding: “We do not need expensive space in London if public officials do not use it.” The cabinet minister told ITV News that he could see links between senior executives working from home and problems in some departments and services, arguing that “people are setting an example”. He urged his cabinet colleagues earlier this week to send a clear message to staff about a “quick return to office”. Downing Street earlier this week said Prime Minister Boris Johnson supported Mr. Reese-Mogg’s efforts to push for his return to office. “What the minister is seeking to achieve is to do everything possible to bring public service back to pre-pandemic levels,” said a spokesman for the prime minister. “This is what he seeks to do. This is supported by the secretary of the cabinet and obviously the prime minister.” Asked if the notes Mr. Rees-Mogg had left in the offices were helpful, the spokesman said Mr Johnson “supports any initiative that encourages people to return to work before the pandemic”. “We are not talking about ending flexible work, which continues to have a place in the modern workplace, we are talking about a return to pre-pandemic use of prefecturally funded taxpayers’ buildings.” The Brexit Minister also suggested that female colleagues who claimed that a member of parliament openly watched pornography in the House of Commons should report him directly for investigation, calling the allegations “disgusting”. He said the Independent Complaints and Appeals Plan – created when he was leader of the House – was intended to address proposals like this. But when it was pointed out that they would only take on a case if a witness appeared – he said: “There will certainly be a complaint – if what someone has heard is true, it is so surprising that you would expect a complaint to come through.”
