Leaked memo reveals EA staff reassigned to work on DEFRA’s Brexit plans

Managers at the Environment Agency (EA) were given 24 hours to provide the names of 75 staff to be transferred to DEFRA in order to work on Brexit preparations, the Guardian has revealed.

A leaked email to EA managers, sent in late October, asked for staff to redeploy within a week. “We realise this is an extremely short deadline and that many staff will be on half term,” it said. “However, please do your best as part of our ambition to go the extra mile to help at this challenging time.”