A former top civil servant warns of the need for enhanced scrutiny in the replacement of Chris Wormald
A former top civil servant has urged the Prime Minister's office to exercise "more due diligence" as it prepares to replace the cabinet secretary, Chris Wormald, with Antonia Romeo, the frontrunner for the role. Sir Simon McDonald, the former permanent secretary of the Foreign Office, emphasized the importance of a thorough process, stating that the prime minister must follow a rigorous procedure due to the critical nature of the position.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, McDonald expressed concerns about the current candidate, suggesting that the due diligence process is not yet complete. He said, "The due diligence needs to be thorough. If the candidate mentioned in the media is the one, in my view, the due diligence has some way still to go."
The announcement of Wormald's departure as cabinet secretary, which was expected earlier on Wednesday, was postponed. Government sources revealed that the role would be temporarily split among officials until a new cabinet secretary is appointed. Despite Romeo being a strong contender, these sources indicated that the decision is not finalized, as she was considered appointable a year ago.
Romeo, the permanent secretary at the Home Office, is seen as a dynamic official who stands out from the traditional civil service mold. This contrasts with Wormald, who is being replaced partly due to concerns about his ability to drive reform in Whitehall. Romeo has garnered support within the civil service for her stance against bullying, as evidenced by her warning to Dominic Raab, the former justice secretary.
However, questions have been raised about Romeo's spending during her time as consul general in New York in 2017, when she worked under McDonald at the Foreign Office. A Cabinet Office investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing, but McDonald expressed a desire to discuss the matter further with the Prime Minister's office through their vetting process.
A government source defended Romeo, stating, "There is absolutely no basis for this criticism. Antonia Romeo is a highly respected permanent secretary with a 25-year record of excellent public service. The allegations all come from a single grievance made some time ago by a former employee, and they were dismissed due to the lack of a valid case."
A Cabinet Office spokesperson declined to comment on the speculation surrounding Wormald's departure and Romeo's potential promotion, maintaining a policy of non-commentary on such matters.
