Starmer appoints first female cabinet secretary in 110-year history

Starmer Appoints First Female Cabinet Secretary

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Dame Antonia Romeo as the new cabinet secretary, the UK’s top civil servant. She is the first woman to hold the role in its 110-year history.

Dame Antonia replaces Sir Chris Wormald, who was forced out last week after just 14 months in the job. His tenure was the shortest in the position's history.

A Record of Delivery and Past Controversy

Government sources told the BBC that Sir Keir was impressed by Dame Antonia's ability to "get things done." She has a 25-year track record, having served as permanent secretary at the Home Office, the Department for International Trade, and the Ministry of Justice.

Her appointment follows a due diligence process overseen by Baroness Gisela Stuart, the First Civil Service Commissioner. The government has previously stated that three past allegations against Dame Antonia—relating to expenses and bullying staff while she was UK consul general in New York—were investigated with "no case to answer."

The Role and the Reaction

The cabinet secretary is the prime minister’s most senior policy adviser, sits next to them in cabinet meetings, and is ultimately responsible for all civil servants in Great Britain. Sir Keir called her an "outstanding public servant."

In a statement, Dame Antonia said it was a "huge privilege" and that the Civil Service should be "known for delivery, efficiency and innovation."

Opposition parties were critical. Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Smart said the public is "tired of the endless sniping and the revolving door of officials."

Background and Predecessor's Troubles

Dame Antonia, an Oxford graduate, joined the Civil Service in 2000. Her high-profile role as consul general in New York from 2016-2017 saw her promoting UK trade and mingling with celebrities post-Brexit referendum.

Concerns were raised at the time about her focus on building a "personal Twitter brand." Her predecessor, Sir Chris Wormald, departed after months of negative media reports suggesting Downing Street was unhappy with his performance.

His brief tenure included controversy over due diligence for political appointments. He had ultimate responsibility for checks before Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador; Mandelson was later sacked after new information about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein emerged.

Calls for Reform of the Top Job

The FDA union for senior civil servants had criticized the anonymous briefings against Sir Chris Wormald. Meanwhile, Reform UK has proposed breaking the monolithic cabinet secretary role into three separate positions.

Their proposed structure includes: