Union boss says attacks on cabinet secretary 'hugely damaging'

Attacks on the UK's cabinet secretary “stink of political cowardice”, the head of the senior civil servants' union has said.

- Eleni Courea Jessica Elgot

Chris Wormald was chosen as cabinet secretary in December

Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA, said anonymous criticism of Chris Wormald was “hugely damaging” to the government and its prospects of recruiting talented officials to top jobs.

Wormald was chosen from a shortlist of four to lead the civil service by Keir Starmer in December, but within months people inside the prime minister's circle began raising concerns about his performance.

The Guardian reported in July that No 10 had “buyer’s remorse” about the appointment, with Starmer’s aides viewing Wormald as “insipid” and entrenched in the status quo.

The Times reported this week that he was unlikely to survive in the job beyond January.

“Chris Wormald is the civil servant’s civil servant. That is apparently what Starmer wanted - someone who won’t be making headlines,” Penman said.