A Scottish civil servant turned up to a work training session “dressed as a cat”, forcing the SNP to issue a reminder on “appropriate dress code,” it has been revealed.
Reports emerged that a male civil servant who identifies as non-binary turned up to a training session dressed in a frock, cat ears and a tail.
The incident allegedly took place at Victoria Quay, the government office complex situated at Leith Docks in Edinburgh.
In response, a Scottish Government spokesman stated: “All civil servants are required to dress appropriately for work. The dress described in this claim would not meet that requirement.”
The story gained traction on social media, where one user wrote: “My friend at the Scottish Government says that a male has shown up to VQ to attend a training session whilst wearing a dress, cat ears and a cat tail. I wish I was making this up.”
Murray Meikle, who recently retired from the Scottish civil service, confirmed he had been aware of the incident.
He described the organisation as “utterly dysfunctional,” warning that raising concerns about such matters was “potentially a career ending decision.”
Mr Meikle added: “I left this year and glad to do so. It’s a completely embarrassing organisation and yet it’s our government. Wha’s like us?”
Another user on X argued that managers who had lost sight of acceptable workplace conduct, or lacked the courage to uphold it, ought to step down.
A source within the civil service spoke to The Scotsman about the atmosphere surrounding the episode.
“The issue seems light hearted but, actually, staff were uncomfortable but felt they couldn’t express opposition to this form of dress because we are encouraged to be kind and open-minded, especially around issues of identity,” the insider said.
The source added: “It is disquieting though.
“There’s a feeling it could have been more swiftly handled.”
The incident has also refocused attention on the chronic underuse of Victoria Quay itself.
The vast office development, which opened in the 1990s and contains 1,250 desks, has long been criticised for its running costs given how few staff actually show up.
Freedom of information figures revealed that average daily attendance by core Scottish Government employees on Wednesdays stood at a mere 12 per cent between mid-December last year and mid-January 2026.
Although civil servants are formally expected to be present in the office for at least two out of every five working days, there are no penalties for those who ignore this requirement.
The Scottish Government’s liberal approach to remote working has drawn sustained criticism, with opponents arguing it represents poor value for taxpayers.
Permanent Secretary Joe Griffin, the Scottish Government’s most senior official, exemplified this reluctance to enforce standards when he appeared before a Holyrood committee.
Asked directly whether staff who refused to return to the office would face disciplinary action, Mr Griffin said: “No. Not on a simple refusal to come to the office.”
He explained that any response would depend on broader factors, including “the posture of that individual, the language that they were using and so on,” but confirmed there was no “narrow trigger” that would lead to formal sanctions purely for failing to attend.
Rather than holding staff to account, Mr Griffin told MSPs the focus would be on showing “kindness” towards employees who had complained about the increase from 20 per cent to 40 per cent office attendance.
GB News has approached the Scottish Government for comment.