Keir Starmer ousts Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald amid government upheaval
SIR Keir Starmer has ousted his top civil servant, Chris Wormald, amid rising concerns regarding his performance, reports BritPanorama.
This change follows the resignations of Downing Street’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and director of communications, Tim Allan, earlier this week. The Prime Minister is grappling with a turbulent political landscape, intensified by public outrage over a scandal involving Peter Mandelson.
In an official statement, No10 announced that the decision for Mr Wormald to leave was reached through “mutual consent.” Starmer expressed his gratitude, saying, “I have agreed with him that he will step down as Cabinet Secretary today. I wish him the very best for the future.”
The recent departures have raised questions about Starmer’s leadership, particularly in light of criticism from Kemi Badenoch, who remarked that Wormald is “the latest person Keir Starmer has thrown under the bus to save his own skin.”
Wormald holds the record as the shortest-serving Cabinet Secretary in history. In the interim, the responsibilities of the role have been divided among three senior civil servants: Antonia Romeo from the Home Office, Cat Little from the Cabinet Office, and James Bowler from the Treasury.
Roman directly is seen as a strong candidate for the Cabinet Secretary role, which would make her the first woman to hold the position. However, her prospects diminished following strong criticism from Sir Simon McDonald, a former head of the Foreign Office, who suggested that more due diligence was necessary regarding her suitability.
McDonald’s remarks generated backlash from supporters of Romeo, who countered that she was the target of a sexist smear campaign. One Minister described this response as the work of “a posse of old baldies throwing dirt on a brilliant woman for having a bit of chutzpah.”
Conversely, other voices raised doubts about Romeo’s qualifications, citing concerns about her style and effectiveness during her tenure.
The ongoing turmoil presents significant challenges for Prime Minister Starmer as he attempts to navigate a complex political environment.
As Britain contends with a series of governance challenges, the implications of these high-profile dismissals highlight ongoing debates about leadership accountability and the pressure faced by senior officials within the current administration.
