In a dramatic escalation of tensions within government, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has launched a blistering attack on Treasury officials, accusing them of deliberately undermining the UK's post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland.
The senior Conservative minister claimed Treasury civil servants are "actively working against government policy" by attempting to maintain European Union law in the region against ministerial instructions.
Whitehall Power Struggle Exposed
Mrs Badenoch's extraordinary intervention came during a private meeting with Conservative members in Hertfordshire, where she revealed the depth of the rift between ministers and officials over the implementation of the Windsor Framework.
"The Treasury is trying to do something that is not what we agreed," she told party members, according to a recording obtained by news outlets. "They are trying to diverge from the agreement and keep us in alignment with the EU."
Brexit Deal Implementation Under Fire
The controversy centres on the government's approach to the Windsor Framework, the agreement designed to ease trade friction between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Mrs Badenoch insisted that ministers had given clear instructions about how the deal should be implemented, only to find officials pursuing a different course.
Her comments represent the most significant public airing of long-standing Conservative frustrations with the civil service, particularly among Brexit-supporting ministers who believe some officials remain resistant to the UK's departure from the EU.
Growing Conservative Discontent
The Business Secretary's remarks come amid increasing tension within Conservative ranks regarding the government's direction. Several right-wing Tory groups have reportedly been discussing ways to influence policy from the backbenches should the party lose the next general election.
Meanwhile, Labour has seized on the comments, with Shadow Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds describing them as "extraordinary" and accusing the government of being "in complete chaos."
The Treasury has declined to comment on what it describes as private discussions between ministers and officials.
