Andrew Gwynne: Ministers’ “alternative facts” will not stop us holding the government to account over Brexit

The government has become “overloaded” ahead of Brexit due to civil service cuts and a deficit of experience in trade negotiations. At this pivotal moment in the UK’s history, we’re urging Theresa May to get her act together and ensure that she’s able to get the best deal for Britain.

The verdict from the Institute for Government last week made concerning reading for those following the progress of the Tories in putting together their Brexit negotiation team. It found there are now 385,000 civil servants working in government, a drop of 19 per cent from 475,000 in 2010. The government is not only working the smallest civil service in 70 years – but the departments likely to face the stiffest challenges around Brexit are some of those that have suffered the most substantial cuts to their budget and workforce. For example – one third of staff at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been cut since 2010, and the Home Office, which will have responsibility for the new immigration system, has had its budget cut by nearly a fifth.

But these staff cuts are not the only problem – the IFG pointed at the “turf war” currently going on between key departments led by Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox leading to “turf wars, fragmentation, incoherence”.

The shadow Cabinet Office team have been pushing for clarity from the government, but other than the £3,000 they spent on conflict resolution classes using “improvisational theatre”, the government have kept tight lipped on how they are preparing for deals with the EU. In contrast to some of the transparency pursued by the coalition government, May’s government is being defined by its secrecy.

The Department for Exiting the EU has said that it has taken on around 300 staff since July and last month I asked the government to provide aggregate diversity data and aggregate data on the negotiating experience of these new recruits prior to the Brexit vote this week. First I was told that the government did not hold a “full data set”, and then that they “will not comment on particular groups of staff”.

In response to questions both from opposition parties and from their own civil service, the government have merely provided evidence-free assurances that they are able to handle these trade negotiations, and have failed to intervene as those expressing concern come under attack from high-profile Tory MPs. Blind loyalty and a world in which objective facts are less influential than expressions of emotion and personal belief will not create a better Britain for hard working people.

It’s likely we will continue to see alternative facts from the government as Brexit negotiations proceed, but Labour will always stand on the side of those who will not shy away from joining us in holding the government to account despite how uncomfortable it may make them.