Civil service head Simon Case returns to Garrick six months after quitting

Simon Case, the head of the civil service, has returned to the Garrick Club six months after his high-profile departure, and is understood to be among a number of members whose resignations have been withdrawn by the club's management.

- Amelia Gentleman

Case quit the Garrick in March after the Guardian published the names of about 80 senior politicians, lawyers, leaders of arts organisations and actors who were members of the then men-only club, which until this year was notorious for rejecting proposals to admit women.

A club vote in May acknowledged that women could become Garrick members, but it has subsequently elected just two women - the actors Dame Siân Phillips and Dame Judi Dench - to join the 1,500 men listed in its membership booklet.

Case announced this week that he would step down from his job as cabinet secretary at the end of the year on health grounds. In his role, he is the leader of half a million civil servants and has been responsible for improving diversity.

At the Garrick there appears to be an internal reluctance to speed up the admission of women in significant numbers despite the change of policy. Only about a dozen women have been nominated as potential future members and the admissions process means it usually takes several years for new candidates to be approved.