Civil servant rainbow lanyard row makes it to PMQs

“On Monday the prime minister treated us to his seventh relaunch in 18 months, he vowed to take on the dangers that threaten the country,” said the Labour leader.

“So it was good to see the minister for common sense immediately take up that mantle by announcing a vital crackdown on the gravest of threats, colourful lanyards.

“Meanwhile, in the real world, after 14 years of Tory government, the prison system is in chaos.”

Mr Sunak replied: “Civil service impartiality is an important principle that we’re right to support, perhaps he could ask his chief of staff [Sue Gray] about that?”

Many Tories are still angry about how former senior civil servant Sue Gray moved to a top job with Labour.

The Labour leader was not finished with the lanyard issue, however, accusing Mr Sunak of “confiscating lanyards like a jumped-up milk monitor” as he pressed him on prison overcrowding.

In fact, it is not clear if civil servants will have their unofficial lanyards confiscated.

In her speech Ms McVey said: “The lanyard worn to carry security passes shouldn’t be a random pick and mix, they should be a standard design reflecting that we are all members of the government delivering for the citizens of the UK.

“Working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance. Trying to introduce them by the back door via lanyards should not happen.”

But there was no mention of lanyards, coloured or otherwise, in newly published guidance on diversity and inclusion in the civil service.