Home Office staff spend £756 on board games during team building day

What happened?

Home Office employees in Manchester used taxpayers' money to pay for a team building day at a board games café, costing £756 in total. The payment was logged as "staff costs for team away day" in credit card declarations.

Where did they go?

The team visited Goodtime Games, a vegan/vegetarian-only board games café in Manchester, on November 28. The café promises customers a chance to "let the good times roll" with their selection of games.

Reactions and responses

The Home Office clarified that the team building exercises were run by Goodtime Games but did not take place in the café itself. The expenditure had to be declared as it exceeded £500. Campaigner William Yarwood criticized the use of taxpayers' money for such activities, emphasizing the need for civil servants to prioritize their responsibilities.

A Government spokesperson defended the spending, stating that it was for professional services.