Top British civil servant falls on his sword

Britain’s most senior civil servant has stepped down after reports of clashes with Boris Johnson’s top political adviser.

Boris Johnson and Mark Sedwill in Downing Street last July. Dominic Cummings is on the far right. Picture: AFP

Britain’s most senior civil servant, Mark Sedwill, has stepped down after reports of clashes with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s top political adviser.

Mr Johnson’s senior political adviser, Dominic Cummings, has long been critical of the civil service, saying government is not nimble enough to deliver change. Some newspapers reported he warned aides last week that a “hard rain is going to fall”.

Earlier this year, Mr Johnson forced the resignation of chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid, tightening his control over the Treasury, and earlier this month he announced the mer­ger of its diplomatic and aid ­departments.

Sir Mark was appointed cabinet secretary and national security adviser by Mr Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May. In a letter to Mr Johnson released on Sunday, Sir Mark wrote that having stayed on for “the acute phase” of the coronavirus crisis, he was now leaving as “the government’s focus is shifting to domestic and global recovery and renewal”.

Mr Johnson’s office has asked Sir Mark to lead a new G7 panel on global economic security as Britain assumes the presidency of group.

Britain’s chief negotiator with the EU, David Frost, will replace Sir Mark as national security adviser, and there will be a competition to appoint a new cabinet secretary and head of the civil service.

Labour raised questions over the timing of the move. “On the day it was revealed millions of jobs across the country could be under threat in coming months, it is very concerning that Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings are preoccupied with reshuffling Whitehall,” said Helen Hayes, policy chief shadowing the cabinet office.

Mr Johnson’s team has been criticised for its response to the coronavirus crisis, blamed by ­opposition parties and some ­scientists for being too slow to tackle the pandemic.

Reuters