UNITED KINGDOM
United Kingdom Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson have issued messages of thanks to Public Servants for their work in delivering the country’s exit from the European Union (Brexit).
In an internal memo to Public Servants, Sir Mark said they should take “immense pride” in the work they had done since the 2016 referendum to prepare the UK for Brexit.
“While the majority of the almost half million Civil Servants have continued to deliver the range of public services to their fellow citizens, thousands have thrown themselves into helping Ministers deliver our exit from the EU in good order,” Sir Mark said.
“There have been some tense moments, and the Civil Service hasn’t been immune from the controversy which gripped so much of the country, but we should all take immense pride in their efforts as the country moves through this historic inflection point and charts a new course.”
Mr Johnson recorded a 26-second video sent via a private link and therefore not accessible to the public.
It appears to have been recorded in Sunderland, the first city to declare for Brexit on the night of the 2016 referendum.
“I’ve thanked the voters; I’ve thanked loads of politicians,” Mr Johnson said.
“There’s one group of people without whom this would not have been possible, that is the Civil Service of the United Kingdom,” he said.
“Whatever you may have thought about it from the beginning, the Civil Service of this country has risen to the challenge.”
“With fantastic professionalism, with determination, you’ve got Brexit done, and you’ve done a brilliant job.”
London, 5 February 2020
