'Be in no doubt...' | Boris Johnson's letter to civil servants

I have some reservations about the syntax and layout of this official letter to all civil servants on 8 August, 2019. The original was mostly set out with single sentences taking single lines which I have had to amend. This 'punchy' style may be suitable for speech scripts, which are read out, but not, in my view, for official letters. Even now, it would not pass The Rees Mogg Grammar Test owing to Oxford commas, use of hyphens and the misuse of "And..." at the start of sentences. I think "Dear colleagues" should be fully capitalised. I don't mind being called 'pedantic'....

Dear colleagues,

After just a short time as Prime Minister it is already clear to me why the UK’s Civil Service is so highly regarded around the world, both for its expertise and its dedication to duty, and I very much look forward to working with all of you on the tasks that lie ahead. It has been three years since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. During that time there has been considerable uncertainty and people are understandably concerned that there has been insufficient focus on the domestic issues they care about.

The Government I lead is fully committed to leaving the European Union by 31 October 2019 and getting a grip of the vital issues that affect people’s lives: the NHS, education and crime. This is the only way to move forward as a country and to end the division and uncertainty. My approach to Brexit is simple, and I want you to be in no doubt about it.

We must restore trust in our democracy, and fulfil the repeated promises of Parliament to the people, by coming out of the European Union on 31 October. We will be leaving on this date, whatever the circumstances.

I would very much prefer to leave with a deal – one that must abolish the anti-democratic Irish backstop, which has unacceptable consequences for our country. But I recognise this may not happen. That is why preparing urgently and rapidly for the possibility of an exit without a deal will be my top priority, and it will be the top priority for the Civil Service too.

I know many of you have already done a great deal of hard work in mobilising to prepare for a No Deal scenario, so that we can leave on 31 October come what may.

Between now and then we must engage and communicate clearly with the British people about what our plans for taking back control mean, what people and businesses need to do, and the support we will provide. And we must also address the other issues that matter to the people of this country.

We must protect our precious NHS, seeing to it that the £20 billion funding settlement reaches the front line without delay. We must get a grip on rising violent crime, funding and recruiting 20,000 extra police officers and working across Government to get on top of the problem.

We must make sure our schools are properly funded, raising per pupil funding to at least £4,000 at primary level and £5,000 at secondary. Every pound invested in education pays off many times for our country and is the single biggest driver of opportunity.

This Government will strive to improve standards for everyone, to fuel economic growth and entrepreneurialism, and to ensure a strong, well-funded public sector – and, with your help, we will do so while entrenching and intensifying the union between our four nations.

We must not forget our great strengths as a country. Throughout history our inventions have changed the world, and today the UK is leading the world in so many of the areas that will define the coming decades. Our science and tech sectors are the best in Europe, and we are a country brimming with ideas and creativity, blending the best of the old with the best of the new – reinforced by our incredible diversity.

So while there are no grounds for complacency, there is every reason for optimism. Together we can achieve amazing things for our country. And – regardless of whether you are cracking policy problems in the heart of Whitehall, helping people back into employment as a work coach in one of our great towns and cities, or an IT professional shaping the future of digital public services – I look forward to working with all of you to do just that.

BORIS JOHNSON