Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy has blasted Tory ministers for creating a “toxic environment” at the Foreign Office that has contributed to it “losing its way”.
The Labour frontbencher took aim at the Government in a pamphlet, which he launched today and is to be published by the Fabian Society, setting out his plans to reform the department if the party gets into power.
In a dig at former Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who faces a bullying probe over his time in the role, Mr Lammy wrote: “The Foreign Office was once the Rolls-Royce of Whitehall, envied and admired by our allies and partners.
“However, years of disregard and inept ministerial leadership have left it with a blown engine and deflated tires.
“It is now a place where allegations of bullying by Conservative politicians, low morale and a loss of expertise are leading to poor foreign policy outcomes for Britain.”
Mr Raab is currently being investigated over eight bullying complaints involving two dozen civil servants.
The Mirror revealed complainants have said they lost weight, suffered breakdowns or even felt suicidal as they thought there was no escape.
Speaking at a Q&A following the launch, Mr Lammy condemned the string of Foreign Secretaries who have overseen the department.
“The FCDO has had Dominc Raab. They've also had Liz Truss. They also have Boris Johnson,” he said.
“And frankly, I think they had two foreign secretaries who didn't really want to be Foreign Secretary, they wanted to be Prime Minister.”
Adding that “bullying was just the half of it”, he said: “It's why there needs to be a clear new mission for the department
“It's very worrying that when you go around the world, whether you're in the Gulf, the Middle East, or indeed whether you're in Africa, they say: ‘Look, you're just not present.’”
Mr Lammy, who has been the MP for Tottenham since 2000, added: “Beyond the toxic environment Tory ministers appear to have created, the fundamental reason this great office of state has lost its way is that it lacks a clearly defined purpose, with inconsistent and irrational structures.
“And it is a failure of Conservative leadership that the FCDO lacks a sense of mission beyond a vague idea of working in the ‘national interest’, which means different things to different people.” He also criticised the UK’s “abandonment” of Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul - which was overseen by Mr Raab.
The Shadow minister also criticised the UK’s “abandonment” of Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul - which was overseen by Mr Raab.
He fumed: “They also had the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, all of that has undermined morale in the FCDO.”
He added that he wanted Labour to be “much more in partnership with the EU”.
"Of course, the Indo Pacific may be very important, but I think the war in Ukraine here in Europe, the central role for Britain is to make sure it plays its part in Europe," he said.
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