The prime minister has said the British state needs to be completely “re-wired” as he unveiled the appointment of new cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald.
Sir Chris, currently permanent secretary at the Department for Health and Social Care, will replace Simon Case as cabinet secretary, becoming the UK’s most senior civil servant.
Case, who was appointed to the role by Boris Johnson as prime minister, announced in September that he would step down on health grounds after four years in the job.
Announcing the decision, Keir Starmer thanked Case “for his service to our country and for the invaluable support he has given to me personally during my first months as prime minister”.
He added: “He has been a remarkable public servant over many years, and our best wishes go to him and his family as he now takes time to focus on his health.
“I am delighted that Chris Wormald has agreed to become the next cabinet secretary. He brings a wealth of experience to this role at a critical moment in the work of change this new government has begun.”
“To change this country, we must change the way government serves this country. That is what Mission-led government will do. From breaking down silos across government to harnessing the incredible potential of technology and innovation, it will require nothing less than the complete re-wiring of the British state to deliver bold and ambitious long-term reform.
“Delivering this scale of change will require exceptional civil service leadership. There could be no-one better placed to drive forward our Plan For Change than Chris, and I look forward to working with him as we fulfil the mandate of this new government, improving the lives of working people and strengthening our country with a decade of national renewal.
Meanwhile, Wormald said he was “delighted” to get the job, adding: “The government has set a clear mandate – an ambitious agenda with working people at its heart. That will require each and every one of us to embrace the change agenda in how the British state operates.”
“So I look forward to working with leaders across Government, to ensure that the Civil Service has the skills they need to deliver across the breadth of the country.”
Sir Chris will take up his new post on 16 December.
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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