Prime Minister Andy Burnham's administration is reportedly planning to grant significant new powers to Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo, allowing her to overrule other senior Whitehall officials. This move aims to centralize authority and enhance the Prime Minister's ability to implement policy.
Legislation is expected to be included in the King's Speech next year, according to The Times. The proposed changes would bolster Dame Antonia's legal authority to direct permanent secretaries, who currently head government departments. While Dame Antonia, as head of the civil service, can currently request action from permanent secretaries, they are not legally obligated to comply and remain ultimately accountable to their respective ministers and the Prime Minister.
Burnham has previously criticized the existing structure of the civil service, citing "turf wars" and a culture that hinders efficiency. "It is too adversarial and too much time is wasted with departmental silos battling each other and battling the Treasury rather than getting things done," he stated in June.
Alex Thomas of the Institute for Government think tank commented on the potential changes, suggesting that empowering the Cabinet Secretary could help overcome "collective action problems across Government where the Cabinet Office has proved itself to be too weak in the past." However, Thomas also noted that such reforms would not inherently address departmental capability gaps or political obstacles.
Dame Antonia Romeo was appointed Cabinet Secretary in February by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, replacing Chris Wormald. Wormald's departure followed a period of significant political pressure on Starmer's government and reportedly resulted in a substantial exit package for Wormald, with some reports suggesting it exceeded £500,000.
A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office stated that the Prime Minister's objective is "reforming the state with devolution by default to deliver good growth in every postcode." The First Secretary of State, Louise Haigh, and the Cabinet Secretary are reportedly working together to "realise the state and reform and empower the civil service and local government."