“If your disagreement with any aspect of government policy or action is profound your ultimate recourse is to resign from the Civil Service.”
More than 300 UK Foreign Office staff who raised alarm over potential “complicity” in Israel’s actions in Gaza were told they could resign if they fundamentally disagreed with government policy.
In a letter sent to Foreign Secretary David Lammy on 16 May, officials cited a “stark… disregard for international law” by Israel and questioned continued UK arms sales.
Top civil servants Sir Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer replied: “If your disagreement with any aspect of government policy or action is profound your ultimate recourse is to resign from the Civil Service. This is an honourable course.”
One signatory described the response as causing “outrage” and said it signaled a “deep sense of disappointment that the space for challenge is being further shut down.”
The Foreign Office said it encourages “healthy challenge” and has set up listening sessions.
A spokesperson added the UK “has rigorously applied international law” and suspended some arms export licenses to Israel in September.