TOP Tory Francis Maude yesterday pulled a cheap smear when asked about an “orchestrated plot” to push unions out of Whitehall — but refused to condemn it.

A leaked memo details a plan by senior civil servants in HM Revenue and Customs to victimise union reps in PCS, which represents 50,000 of the department’s staff.

Cabinet Office minister Mr Maude is attempting to get government departments to end “check-off” arrangements — where new civil servants are given the option of having union subs taken directly from their pay packets.

But taking him to task, Labour shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth accused him of “playing irresponsible party politics with the trade unions.”

He said: “A leaked HMRC memo talks about marginalising the unions, which could lead to industrial action among Civil Service unions.”

But Mr Maude merely replied: “It is always reassuring to find that the old truths turn out to be enduring and that Labour speaks for its paymasters, the trade unions.”

The leaked paper states HMRC’s senior management believes its “business interests” are best served by an approach that “reduces the influence of the unions.”

It sets out a plan to “marginalise PCS” and says “further proactive measures targeted at key union activists” would be considered.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This is deeply disturbing evidence of an orchestrated and politicised plot at the heart of the Civil Service to undermine us as an independent trade union.

“The fact the minister refused to distance his government from it speaks volumes.”