Simon Case has resigned as cupboard secretary and is because of depart on the finish of the yr. His departure kicks off a race to be his successor, with a job advert already circulated to draw a large pool of candidates. To this point the job of cupboard secretary has solely ever been held by white males.
Melanie Dawes
Ofcom’s chief government has labored in a wide range of authorities departments, from HMRC to the Cupboard Workplace and the Treasury, and was the everlasting secretary of the then Division for Communities and Native Authorities on the time of the Grenfell Tower fireplace.
Dawes gave an interview to Civil Service World final yr that touched on the difficulties of juggling parenthood with an enormous job, and the way Grenfell had helped to offer her a “very deep belief in the importance of good, effective, proportionate regulation”.
Oliver Robbins
Oliver “Olly” Robbins, who was just lately made a associate at Hakluyt, a consultancy based by ex-MI6 intelligence officers, has repeatedly been linked with the job. He oversaw Brexit negotiations below Theresa Might earlier than leaving the civil service in December 2019.
He has been noticed going to satisfy Keir Starmer and his workforce, and is understood to have gotten on properly with the prime minister’s chief of workers, Sue Grey, however he has not confirmed that he can be occupied with making a return to authorities.
Nevertheless, some inside No 10 are eager for somebody with much less Brexit-related baggage and would favor a much less apparent candidate – particularly given the lengthy historical past of white male cupboard secretaries. Authorities insiders consider he’s being lined up for a safety function as an alternative.
Antonia Romeo
The everlasting secretary on the Ministry of Justice is a uncommon high-profile senior civil servant and could be very properly related. She could have irritated colleagues by being extra outstanding than many everlasting secretaries, however Romeo’s fame was burnished when it emerged she had spoken out on behalf of extra junior colleagues throughout the row over Dominic Raab’s bullying of personal workplace workers.
Jeremy Pocklington
A profession civil servant, Pocklington has been the everlasting secretary on the Division for Vitality Safety and Internet Zero since its creation, after doing the highest job on the Ministry of Housing. He’s recognized to have gotten on with Grey, who will likely be working carefully with whoever will get the function of cupboard secretary, and just lately spoke to the International Governance Discussion board on how the “AI and digital revolution is going to transform the civil service”.
Tamara Finkelstein
As everlasting secretary on the Division for Surroundings, Meals and Rural Affairs, Tamara Finkelstein has labored throughout Whitehall and can be a vastly skilled candidate, after 5 years within the job.
Minouche Shafik
A former deputy governor of the Financial institution of England, Shafik is conducting a authorities overview of UK improvement assist. She has additionally served as everlasting secretary within the former Division for Worldwide Improvement, and just lately stepped down as principal of New York’s Columbia Univeristy over its dealing with of protests about Gaza.
