Starmer Shakes Up Downing Street Amid Fallout from Mandelson Affair
The fallout from the controversy surrounding former US Ambassador Peter Mandelson’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has prompted a significant shakeup in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s top team, culminating in the forced resignation of Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald. The announcement, made on Thursday, paves the way for Antonia Romeo to potentially become the first woman to hold the position.
Starmer announced Wormald’s departure as a move reached “by mutual consent” after just over a year in the role. Romeo is widely expected to succeed him, though the appointment remains subject to approval by the civil service commissioner.
The decision to oust Wormald has sparked considerable anger among senior civil servants, with one source describing the atmosphere as “sulphurous” over the Prime Minister’s perceived willingness to sacrifice officials. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, publicly criticized the move, stating that Wormald had become “the latest person Keir Starmer has thrown under the bus to save his own skin.”
Concerns have also been raised by senior Labour figures and former Permanent Secretary Simon McDonald, who cautioned against a rushed appointment process for Romeo. They emphasized the need for thorough due diligence, particularly given the recent high turnover of staff within No. 10.
However, Whitehall sources defended the decision to move forward with Romeo’s candidacy, noting she was considered appointable just over a year ago. These sources indicated that Wormald lost Starmer’s confidence due to his handling of the process that led to Mandelson’s ambassadorial approval, and for a perceived lack of proactivity in driving civil service reform. Wormald is expected to receive a substantial severance package, commensurate with his annual salary of approximately £200,000.
Depleted Leadership Team
Wormald’s departure further depletes Starmer’s leadership team, following the earlier exits of Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney and Director of Communications Tim Allan in the wake of the Mandelson affair. The scandal brought to light the extent of the former ambassador’s connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The decision to replace Wormald was reportedly made several days ago, following over six months of internal briefings within No. 10 expressing doubts about his suitability for the role. A senior official informed Permanent Secretaries of Wormald’s impending departure on Wednesday morning, with his final day at the Cabinet Office concluding that evening. Confirmation of his resignation was delayed by another 24 hours.
“What a message this all gives to public servants, political and official,” one senior government insider stated. “Keir Starmer says let’s change things, let’s be bold. But the moment it gets tough, ‘you’ll be out the door to save my skin.’” The insider added, “Antonia will need eyes in the back of her head to spot the knives Keir is wielding.”
The Cabinet Office has announced a temporary arrangement where Romeo, Cat Little, and James Bowler will share the responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary role while a formal appointment process is underway.
Romeo’s Potential and Past Scrutiny
Antonia Romeo has garnered praise for her performance as Permanent Secretary at the Home Office. However, her potential appointment has not been without scrutiny. McDonald raised concerns on Wednesday, advocating for “more due diligence” and a complete appointment process.
Romeo previously faced questions regarding her spending while serving as consul general in New York in 2017, during her tenure under McDonald at the Foreign Office. A subsequent Cabinet Office investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing. When questioned about the matter on Channel 4, McDonald indicated he would like to discuss it with No. 10 as part of the vetting process.
Supporters of Romeo strongly defended her record. One minister argued, “For decades, our country has wanted to rip up the rulebook and do things differently. Antonia will actually do it. She’s restless, focused, creative and understands the scale of the crises this country faces – the leader our civil service needs in these times.” The minister continued, “Frankly, I’m tired of hearing women being called ‘ambitious’ by bald men who’re past their prime. After two establishment men have been found maintaining a relationship with paedophiles, are we going to let another posse of baldies besmirch a brilliant woman who has always riled the establishment by having a bit of chutzpah?”
A government source further emphasized that “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. All the allegations were dismissed on the basis there was no case to answer.”
Romeo has also earned respect within the civil service for her warning to Dominic Raab, when he was Justice Secretary, regarding behavior that ultimately led to a finding of bullying conduct towards officials. She has reportedly impressed Shabana Mahmood at the Home Office.
Notably, Starmer appointed Wormald to the Cabinet Secretary position in late 2024 despite a selection panel recommending Tamara Finkelstein, who has since left the civil service.
Reactions and Concerns
Wormald himself stated, “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a civil servant for the past 35 years, and a particular distinction to lead the service as cabinet secretary. I want to place on record my sincere thanks to the extraordinary civil servants, public servants, ministers and advisers I have worked with. Our country is fortunate to have such dedicated individuals devoted to public service, and I wish them every success for the future.”
Starmer echoed these sentiments, saying, “I am very grateful to Sir Chris for his long and distinguished career of public service, spanning more than 35 years, and for the support that he has given me over the past year. I have agreed with him that he will step down as cabinet secretary today. I wish him the very best for the future.”
No. 10 has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with allies of Wormald alleging he was treated poorly and learned of his fate through media reports.
Dave Penman, General Secretary of the FDA union, condemned the briefing against Wormald as “extraordinary” and asserted that it was “no way to run a country.” Philip Rutnam, the former Home Office Permanent Secretary, also criticized the practice of briefing against civil servants, stating, “The thing that really saps morale is the negative briefing about individual civil servants and the civil service as a whole… civil servants cannot answer back, they are constitutionally bound to be accountable to ministers and good ministers deal with problems behind the scenes. What you don’t see is briefing coming out into the media, which is deeply destabilising.”
