of a Minister in working relationships. The then Prime Minister, Mrs May, in her foreword to the 2018 Ministerial Code, wrote as follows:
This Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected from all those who serve in Government. The values it promotes should underpin our conduct as we tackle the challenges of our times and seek to build that fairer Britain, a country of genuine opportunity for all where everyone plays by the same rules. Parliament and Whitehall are special places in our democracy, but they are also places of work too, and exactly the same standards and norms should govern them as govern any other workplace. We need to establish a new culture of respect at the centre of our public life: one in which everyone can feel confident that they are working in a safe and secure environment.
21. The 2018 Ministerial Code itself was revised to include the following new paragraph which, together with a modified paragraph 1.1, was identified as stating the "General principle":
1.1 Ministers of the Crown are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety.
1.2 Ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect. Working relationships, including with civil servants, ministerial and parliamentary colleagues and parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate. Harassing, bullying or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour wherever it takes place is not consistent with the Ministerial Code and will not be tolerated.
22. A further revision was made to the 2018 Ministerial Code. Paragraph 5.1, which had since 2007 been concerned with the general principle that Ministers must uphold the political impartiality of the Civil Service, was revised to include the following sentence:
… Ministers should be professional in their working relationships with the Civil Service and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect.
23. The 2018 Ministerial Code was the version in force at the time of the matters raised in the DExEU Complaint.
24. In August 2019 the then Prime Minister, Mr Johnson, reissued the Ministerial Code (the "2019 Ministerial Code") with his foreword stating (so far as material) as follows:
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