Tories want apology over Wales Office Budget tweet

The Welsh secretary Jo Stevens should apologise for "politicising" civil servants in a post about the UK government's Budget on the Wales Office's X account, say the Conservatives.

They complained to the cabinet secretary – the top civil servant at Westminster – after the post said the Budget "delivered for Wales for the first time in a generation".

The chief executive of the UK Government Communication Service agreed the post "could have been phrased better" and said he had spoken to the Wales Office.

The Wales Office said the matter was discussed with its director to "ensure continued compliance with guidelines".

Official resources should not be used for party political purposes, under the Civil Service Code.

In her letter to the cabinet secretary, Conservative shadow secretary of state for Wales Mims Davies said:

"I am sure you will agree we simply cannot have taxpayer-funded resources being misappropriated on these types of messages and your civil servants being actively political inside departments, and perhaps under pressure to message this way."

She went on to ask for what was being done to investigate the secretary of state and her officials.

In reply, Simon Baugh, chief executive of the Government Communication Service said: "In this particular case, while the text of the post echoed a short section of a HM Treasury press release, I acknowledge that it could have been better phrased, and I have discussed the matter with the Wales Office."

In a statement following the exchange of letters Davies said: "We now need the secretary of state for Wales to step up and apologise for this conduct in politicising our impartial civil servants."

This is not the first time that Conservatives have clashed with Jo Stevens over the use of social media.

In October last year Davies's predecessor, Byron Davies, complained about a different social media post on the Wales Office account, which he said broke civil service code, and brought the government department into disrepute.

The Wales Office said it had done "nothing improper in expressing regret about the previous administration".

Earlier in the year, Stevens called for a formal investigation into the then Welsh Secretary David TC Davies and accused him of breaching rules of behaviour for ministers.

She said he had recorded a video attacking plans to increase the size of the Senedd in his government office.

The ministerial code says they should not generally be used for party or constituency activities.

At the time a UK government source said that the video was recorded inside for security reasons.

A Wales Office spokesperson said the government department "follows guidance set out by the Government Communication Service and mandatory training is undertaken on the use of social media on official government channels".

"The post in question highlighted how the UK government is investing in Wales. "This matter has been discussed with the Wales Office director to ensure continued compliance with guidelines."