FOREIGN OFFICE staff walked out today as they urged new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to intervene against plans for up to 2,000 job cuts.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said further walkouts will take place throughout the week over the department’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of its 2030 restructuring programme.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Strike action is always a last resort, but Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) management has left our members with no choice.

“It is unacceptable that a government department is pushing ahead with a major restructure while refusing to give workers the basic assurance that they will not be forced out of their jobs.

“Our members deserve transparency, fairness and respect. Instead, they have been met with uncertainty and a refusal to provide the information needed to properly scrutinise these plans.

“The department could end this dispute today by doing the right thing — rule out compulsory redundancies and engage meaningfully with PCS.”

The union has announced two further strike days on August 12 and 26, alongside continuous action short of strike from July 31 on all non-strike days.

PCS has warned that plans to reduce the workforce by between 15 and 25 per cent risk stripping the department of experienced staff at a time when Britain’s is facing significant international challenges, including the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

It says that ministers now have an opportunity to reset relations with staff and engage meaningfully to avoid unnecessary job losses and protect the department’s ability to deliver critical diplomatic, development and consular work.

The Foreign Office was contacted for comment.