Starmer Faces Demands to Control Downing Street Briefings After Cabinet Secretary's Departure
Sir Keir Starmer has been instructed by a former cabinet secretary to "get a grip" on what he described as "shabby" negative briefings against civil servants. This demand comes in the wake of Sir Chris Wormald stepping down as Britain's top civil servant after a mere 14 months in the role.
Accusations of Throwing Officials 'Under the Bus'
Opposition leaders have accused Sir Keir of effectively throwing his outgoing cabinet secretary "under the bus" in an effort to "save his own skin." This criticism emerges as the Prime Minister attempts to reset his Downing Street operation following the recent Peter Mandelson vetting scandal.
Lord Gus O'Donnell, who served as cabinet secretary under three previous prime ministers, stated that Sir Keir must "take responsibility" for the pattern of briefings. He labelled this trend one of the current Labour government's "biggest failings."
"Where it's shabby is the fact that we've got to this place and that they have briefed anonymously against the cabinet secretary saying it's not working," Lord O'Donnell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "They've been doing this for a long time. This is a process that this Government – I'm afraid it's one of their biggest failings."
Historical Context and Previous Resignations
Lord O'Donnell referenced the resignation of Sue Gray, who quit as Labour's chief of staff in 2024 following similar briefings against her. He emphasised that this represents a fundamental problem that the Prime Minister can resolve by asserting control over his special advisors.
"This is the fundamental problem, and that is something the prime minister can solve by getting a grip on his special advisors," he added. When questioned about the activity levels of special advisors, Lord O'Donnell acknowledged that "really good spads are really useful," but cautioned that "bad special advisers turn out to be second-rate PR people – can be disastrous."
He cited pre-budget briefings as another example of poor government communications, describing the run-up to last year's autumn statement as a "complete omnishambles from a comms point of view." Lord O'Donnell, who led the civil service during the premierships of Sir Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and Lord David Cameron, reiterated: "The Prime Minister must take responsibility and get a grip."
Sir Chris Wormald's Record-Breaking Short Tenure
Sir Chris Wormald's departure on Thursday evening follows the recent resignations of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and communications chief Tim Allan. The Cabinet Office stated that Sir Chris had reached a "mutual" agreement with the Prime Minister to step down as cabinet secretary with immediate effect.
This decision comes after a series of negative media reports questioning his performance since his appointment by Sir Keir just 14 months ago. After 35 years of service in the civil service, Sir Chris now holds the record as the shortest-serving cabinet secretary in British history.
His tenure of less than 14 months is shorter than the 23 months Sir Mark Sedwill served under Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Reports indicate that Sir Chris received a £260,000 payout as part of the agreement for his departure. Number 10 has declined to comment on suggestions that this payment required the Prime Minister's personal approval because it did not meet Whitehall's standard value-for-money rules.
Government Response and Replacement Speculation
In a series of broadcast interviews on Friday morning, water minister Emma Hardy rejected suggestions that Sir Chris had been made a scapegoat for Sir Keir's own shortcomings. She dismissed accusations from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch that the senior official had been "thrown under the bus" by the Prime Minister as "the usual political knockabout."
Sir Chris Wormald is widely expected to be replaced by Home Office permanent secretary Dame Antonia Romeo, who is viewed by Downing Street as a potential "disrupter." This anticipated appointment comes despite warnings from her former boss at the Foreign Office.
Dame Antonia previously faced allegations of bullying during her tenure as consul-general in New York, though she was subsequently cleared by the Cabinet Office following an investigation. The potential appointment signals the government's desire for significant changes within the senior civil service structure.
