Chris Wormald, the cabinet secretary, is negotiating his departure from Downing Street, making him the third senior figure to leave in a matter of days, sources have told the Guardian. His exit would follow those of Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s chief of staff, and Tim Allan, his communications director, amid a broader shake-up of Keir Starmer’s operation.
Wormald was appointed just over a year ago but has faced mounting pressure, with some insiders viewing his selection as “disastrous”. One government source indicated “the writing is on the wall” for Wormald, as Starmer seeks to reassert authority after a turbulent period. Another source said Wormald is in talks over taking a seat in the House of Lords as part of his departure deal.
He was previously the lead civil servant in the health department and was chosen from a shortlist that included Olly Robbins, Antonia Romeo, and Tamara Finkelstein. At the time, Starmer praised his “wealth of experience”, but government insiders have since expressed frustration at his reluctance to embrace civil service reform, accusing him of “hand-wringing” over problems.
The departure of McSweeney, a long-time ally of Starmer, has prompted a wider rethink of how No 10 operates. The prime minister has appointed Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson as joint acting chiefs of staff, and is considering splitting the role to separate delivery and political functions. This comes just five months after Darren Jones was appointed as chief secretary to oversee inter-departmental coordination.
