Theresa May‘s ‘ Brexit bungler-in-chief’ is being lined up to become the new head of the Civil Service.
Sir Olly Robbins – Mrs May’s chief Brexit negotiator – is said to have been holding talks with Labour about replacing Sir Simon Case as Cabinet Secretary in January.
Sir Olly became an unpopular figure among hardline Brexiteers who claimed he was not tough enough with Brussels and faced a backlash when he was knighted in Mrs May’s resignation honours list.
But Sir Simon, 45, has reportedly been urged to make a permanent departure owing to a neurological condition.
The former private secretary to the Prince of Wales took a period of medical leave late last year before returning to work while using a stick.
Politico suggested an announcement and search for a successor would be unveiled in the new year.
Sir Olly Robbins – Mrs May’s chief Brexit negotiator – is said to have been holding talks with Labour about replacing Sir Simon Case as Cabinet Secretary in January.
Sir Simon, 45, has reportedly been urged to make a permanent departure owing to a neurological condition.
Last month it was suggested Sir Simon (fourth from left at a Cabinet meeting last week) could quit in January after overseeing the transition to a Labour government.
Rumours have been circulating for months that secret talks have taken place between Sir Keir Starmer‘s chief of staff Sue Gray, who quit a top job in the civil service to work for the Labour leader, and Sir Olly.
Allies insisted the talks were informal, but sources said he has told Ms Gray that he will consider returning only if Sir Keir wants him and he is deemed fit to serve.
He was criticised by Brexiteers as he tried to help Mrs May come up with a viable Brexit plan.
In 2018 he was caught in an embarrassing gaffe as he was pictured on Whitehall showing secret papers on the Irish border backstop.
His document folder was part open and exposed his documents to waiting press photographers outside the Cabinet Office.
The papers discuss the Irish border backstop element of the Brexit divorce deal – the subject of fraught 11th hour negotiations last week to ease Tory rebel concerns.
The Cabinet Secretary post commands a salary of around £200,000 a year, with other figures in the frame thought to include permanent secretaries Antonia Romeo and Tamara Finkelstein.
Mr Case returned to work in January after stepping back from the duties in October because of a medical matter.
It is understood that he is continuing to receive medical treatment and is considering stepping back in six months’ time.
Mr Case, a former spy chief and private secretary to Prince William, was championed for the top civil service job by Boris Johnson in September 2020, having previously been permanent secretary in No10.
But he came under fire over his handling of the Partygate rows and had to step back from the investigation into lockdown-breaking parties because of his own involvement.
He was pictured at the Cabinet Room birthday party for which Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak were fined.
Mr Case is said to have a complicated relationship with Ms Gray, who believes she was put in an impossible position with the Partygate inquiry.
No10 remained tight-lipped when asked about the situation yesterday, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman telling reporters: ‘The Cabinet Secretary continues to carry out the full functions of his role with the confidence of the PM.’
