'Depraved' civil servants naked antics

The Brits have been getting naked at the office now. In what has been described as being like something out of Ricky Gervais' The Office, naked 'depravity' was tolerated. How absolutely fantastic is that! Offices are such intolerably dull places that anyone livening it up by taking their clothes off gets full marks from me. Here is the full article below.
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'Depraved' civil servants play naked office pranks

The Guardian
Matt Weaver
Monday June 12, 2006


Civil servants who were supposed to be administering the government's much-criticised farm subsidies system have been taking part in 'depraved' office pranks such as leaping naked from filing cabinets.
The beleaguered Rural Payment Agency has begun an investigation into the behaviour of its staff at its Newcastle office, which allegedly included leaving cups of vomit in cupboards, taking drugs, having sex in toilets and holding breakdancing competitions during office hours.

The agency, which delayed the payment of £1.5bn worth of European subsidies to thousands of farmers, said it has so far sacked one junior member of staff over the allegations.

It is also disciplining others over what staff have describe as a real life Ricky Gervais office, only worse.

Some of the pranks were caught on CCTV in the office where more than 900 people are employed.

They were exposed by a whistle-blower who wrote to the Newcastle Chronicle: "I'm appalled at the level of depravity that is being tolerated at my work place."

The letter also quotes from an internal memo: "Although the staff obviously feels it is a great laugh, by anyone's standards in the workplace setting, this represents misconduct and may not be allowed to go unchallenged."

A spokesman for Rural Payments Agency confirmed that "allegations of serious misconduct" have been made and have been under investigation for "some weeks."

A statement added: "RPA expects high standards of its staff, who have very important and responsible jobs to do for the farming industry, and will not tolerate breaches such as those described."

Michael Jack, chairman of the Commons rural affairs committee, condemned the pranks.

He said: "These reports are extremely disappointing as they come at a time when farmers would have expected that everyone at the agency would have got the message that completing the 2007 payments was a number one priority."

"These other activities are clearly a complete distraction from focusing on the real job, which is putting things right for British farmers."

Earlier this year the government was forced to seek an extension from Brussels to a deadline that was due to expire this month for handing back unpaid subsidies. The agency has gone through three chief executives this year over mounting concerns about late payments.