Sir Chris Wormald Ousted as UK's Most Senior Civil Servant
In a dramatic development at the heart of British government, Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald has been ousted as the United Kingdom's most senior civil servant. The Cabinet Office announced his immediate departure from Downing Street on Thursday, 12 February 2026, marking the third high-profile exit from Number 10 in less than a week.
Historic Short Tenure Ends
The Cabinet Office confirmed that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Chris Wormald reached a "mutual agreement" for the cabinet secretary to stand down from his £200,000-per-year position effective immediately. This abrupt departure makes Sir Chris the shortest-serving cabinet secretary in British history, having served just 14 months in the pivotal role.
The timing creates significant challenges for the Starmer administration, leaving the prime minister without a permanent cabinet secretary, chief of staff, or director of communications simultaneously. These three crucial positions have all become vacant within the same turbulent week following the recent Downing Street crisis.
Leadership Vacuum and Interim Arrangements
With Sir Chris Wormald's departure creating an immediate leadership vacuum, the responsibilities of the cabinet secretary will be temporarily shared among three senior civil servants. Catherine Little, permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office; James Bowler, permanent secretary at the Treasury; and Dame Antonia Romeo, permanent secretary at the Home Office will collectively assume the duties.
Dame Antonia Romeo is widely reported to be the prime minister's preferred candidate for the permanent position, though the Cabinet Office stated an appointment would be made "shortly" without confirming specific timelines.
Statements from Key Figures
In his departure statement, Sir Chris Wormald reflected on his 35-year civil service career: "It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a civil servant for the past 35 years, and a particular distinction to lead the service as cabinet secretary. I want to place on record my sincere thanks to the extraordinary civil servants, public servants, ministers, and advisers I have worked with."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded: "I am very grateful to Sir Chris for his long and distinguished career of public service, spanning more than 35 years, and for the support that he has given me over the past year. I have agreed with him that he will step down as cabinet secretary today. I wish him the very best for the future."
Political Reactions and Background
The departure follows months of reports suggesting the prime minister had grown dissatisfied with Sir Chris Wormald's performance. His exit comes on the heels of Morgan McSweeney's departure as Downing Street chief of staff and Tim Allan's exit as communications director, creating what opposition politicians have characterized as a crisis of leadership.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch offered sharp criticism: "He is the latest person Keir Starmer has thrown under the bus to save his own skin."
When Sir Chris Wormald was appointed 14 months ago, Sir Keir Starmer had described him as uniquely positioned to deliver "the complete re-wiring of the British state to deliver bold and ambitious long-term reform." The cabinet secretary traditionally serves as the prime minister's right-hand advisor on major policy decisions and government operations, making this sudden departure particularly significant during a period of political turbulence.
