The new cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald has delivered a stark pre-Christmas warning on his first day on the job as Britain’s top civil servant.
In a message to all civil servants across Whitehall, Sir Chris echoed the comments of the prime minister that they must stop being a block to progress, with an enjoinder that “we must do things differently”.
The new top mandarin toned down the language after Sir Keir Starmer was described as having been “Trumpian” in his attack on civil servants. The prime minister said in a major speech earlier this month that “too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”, though he insisted he did not think there was a “swamp to be drained here”.
Sir Chris, who was a surprise appointment having previously served as permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care, has pledged to go through with Sir Keir’s ambition to perform a “rewiring of the way the government works”.
Britain’s top senior civil servant takes up his role after the prime minister set out his plan to put more money in people’s pockets, reduce NHS waiting lists, put bobbies back on the beat and build 1.5 million homes.
Sir Chris told civil servants in an email: “As cabinet secretary, it is my role to support the prime minister and government to deliver for the country. The prime minister has been clear that he wants a rewiring of the way the government works to deliver his recently announced plan for change.
“This will require all of us to do things differently – from working much more effectively across departments to taking advantage of the major opportunities technology provides.”
He continued: “Throughout my career, I have seen the civil service adapt and change to achieve incredible things for the people of the United Kingdom. I know that together we will relish the opportunities the coming years will bring.”
Sir Chris said he was “deeply honoured” to be appointed to his new role. He told colleagues: “Over the years I have seen the incredible contribution that we as civil servants make and it fills me with great pride to be leading the civil service.”
Sir Chris said he was looking forward to meeting civil servants across the country in the coming weeks and months to “hear your ideas to improve the way that government works”.
He also paid tribute to his predecessor Simon Case, who he said had been a “remarkable public servant”.
