Dame Antonia Romeo has been appointed as the UK’s first female cabinet secretary, ending days of speculation over who will hold the country’s most senior civil service post following the resignation of Sir Chris Wormald.
Romeo, frontrunner for the role and previously permanent secretary at the Home Office, replaces Sir Chris Wormald, who was forced out after just 14 months in the position earlier in February.
Romeo’s potential appointment had raised controversy due to past allegations of bullying while she was consul-general in New York between 2016 and 2017. Sir Simon McDonald, former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, told Channel 4 that if Romeo was promoted to the position, it would show “the due diligence still has some way to go”.
The claims were dismissed by the Cabinet Office at the time “on the basis there was no case to answer”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday: “I am delighted to appoint Dame Antonia Romeo as the new Cabinet Secretary. She is an outstanding public servant, with a 25‑year record of delivering for the British people.”
Romeo said: “It is a huge privilege to be asked to serve as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service . . . I look forward to working with all colleagues across the Civil Service to do this, in support of the Prime Minister and the Government.”
