Ministers Face Mounting Pressure to Release Internal Probe into Civil Servant's Lavish New York Lifestyle
Government ministers are under intense pressure to publish an internal investigation into the extravagant New York lifestyle enjoyed at taxpayers' expense by the frontrunner to become the new Cabinet Secretary. Dame Antonia Romeo, aged 51, is strongly tipped to become the first female head of the civil service after Sir Keir Starmer forced out Sir Chris Wormald as part of a last-ditch attempt to reset Number 10 amid turmoil over the Peter Mandelson scandal.
Allegations of Extravagant Spending and Staff Intimidation
As revealed by The Mail on Sunday in 2020, Dame Antonia, who currently serves as the Home Office Permanent Secretary, was investigated over a flood of allegations relating to her tenure as Britain's consul-general in New York three years earlier. It is alleged that she terrorised staff who criticised her lavish lifestyle and reportedly excessive spending. Her expenses reportedly included more than £120,000 in fees for her three children to attend an upmarket New York school and business class flights, including a last-minute trip to London in February 2017 so she could attend the Bafta awards.
Additionally, she hosted a series of glitzy parties for celebrity figures such as Anna Wintour, Joanna Lumley, and the now-disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein. A Cabinet Office spokesman stated: The complaint was thoroughly investigated and all the allegations were dismissed on the basis there was no case to answer. Her allies insist the spending was part of her job to promote the UK, but some senior diplomats have dubbed the investigation a whitewash.
Calls for Transparency and Due Diligence
Last week, her former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, Simon McDonald, emphasised the need for more due diligence over the appointment. Now, the Tories have formally asked Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to publish the findings of the expenses investigation. The party's Cabinet Office spokesman, Alex Burghart, argued: The Government has forced out the man in charge of the investigation into Mandelson and who the Prime Minister promised was making sure there was no cover-up. Given the way Sir Chris has been forced from office, we expect there to be proper due diligence in appointing a new Cabinet Secretary. After this Government's recent scandals, the public deserve complete transparency and honesty.
Social Media Scrutiny and Celebrity Connections
Traditionalists have also raised objections to her social media content as permanent secretary, with one insider noting: She goes to parties and looks like she's enjoying herself, in contrast with the vast majority of permanent secretaries. In June 2017, Dame Antonia played host to high-profile celebrities on the rooftop of the British residence in Manhattan in honour of then Vogue editor Anna Wintour. She was pictured smiling with designers Calvin Klein and Michael Kors, as well as Weinstein, just four months before sexual abuse allegations against him came to light.
Other notable events include a girls' lunch for former chancellor George Osborne's then-wife Frances and Vanity Fair's former editor Tina Brown, and a reception to mark the centenary of British Vogue attended by newlyweds model Jerry Hall and media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, along with model Alexa Chung. The ongoing controversy highlights broader concerns about accountability and transparency within the civil service, as the government navigates a series of high-profile scandals.
