UK names new civil service head to ‘rewire the British state’
UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Sir Chris Wormald as the UK’s cabinet secretary and head of the civil service with a mission to “change the way government serves this country”.
Wormald replaces Simon Case as the UK’s most senior civil servant, following an external competition. Wormald is currently permanent secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care, and has previously served as permanent secretary for the Department for Education.
The job description, published in October, highlighted that the new cabinet secretary would be required to help deliver the government’s mission-driven programme and pursue reforms that make government work better.
The Labour government’s five national missions are: kickstart economic growth; make Britain a clean energy superpower; reduce crime to “take back our streets”; break down barriers to opportunity; and build an NHS fit for the future.
Announcing Wormald’s appointment, Starmer said that he would drive delivery of these missions, as well as leading departmental permanent secretaries to drive forward innovation.
“To change this country, we must change the way government serves this country. That is what mission-led government will do,” he said. “From breaking down silos across government to harnessing the incredible potential of technology and innovation, it will require nothing less than the complete rewiring of the British state to deliver bold and ambitious long-term reform.”
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Delivering change at scale
The prime minister said that delivering this scale of change would require “exceptional civil service leadership”, adding: “I look forward to working with him as we fulfil the mandate of this new government, improving the lives of working people and strengthening our country with a decade of national renewal”.
Wormald’s appointment was made following an open external competition, chaired by the First Civil Service Commissioner Baroness Gisela Stuart. Other panel members included former cabinet secretary Lord Gus O’Donnell; Sharon White, chair of retailer the John Lewis Partnership; and Brian McBride, lead non-executive director on the board of the Ministry of Defence.
Wormald said he was delighted that Starmer had appointed him to the “privileged role of leading our talented civil service, as we rise to the challenge of delivering the government’s focused agenda to deliver its plan for change”.
Wormald said realising the missions will require each and every civil servant “to embrace the change agenda in how the British state operates”.
Wormald will take up his new post on 16 December, taking over from Case. Starmer thanked the current cabinet secretary for his service and the “invaluable support he has given to me personally during my first months as prime minister”.
“He has been a remarkable public servant over many years, and our best wishes go to him and his family as he now takes time to focus on his health,” Starmer said.
Case, who has been cabinet secretary since September 2020, announced he would step down at the end of the year in October after undergoing medical treatment for a neurological condition.
He said that “whilst the spirit remains willing, the body is not”.
Announcing his departure, Case said that “it has been an honour to serve two sovereigns, four prime ministers and over 120 cabinet ministers in this role”, at a time of political turmoil in the UK around Brexit and then the COVID-19 pandemic.
About Richard Johnstone
Richard Johnstone is the executive editor of Global Government Forum, where he helps to produce editorial analysis and insight for the title’s audience of public servants around the world. Before joining GGF, he spent nearly five years at UK-based title Civil Service World, latterly as acting editor, and has worked in public policy journalism throughout his career.
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