The team of closest collaborators of the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmerhas suffered a new loss this Thursday. Downing Street has confirmed the departure of Chris WormaldCabinet Secretary – the highest-ranking career official in the British public administration – in the midst of the scandal over the appointment as ambassador to Washington of Peter Mandelson, linked to the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Wormald is the third Starmer adviser to leave his post in the last week, confirming the prime minister’s attempts to launch a renewed image of your team and to silence internal criticism.
The two parties maintain that the departure has occurred “mutual agreement”but the truth is that Starmer had not been satisfied with his advisor’s work for months. The mistakes made in the appointment process of Mandelson, which was carried out under the supervision of Wormaldthey would have tipped the balance in favor of his departure as soon as 14 months later of his appointment. It is the first time that a Cabinet Secretary lasts so short in office, since it is a technical profile and its continuity does not usually depend on changes in political color in the Executive.
“I am very grateful to Sir Chris [Wormald] for his long and distinguished career in public service, spanning more than 35 years, and for the support you have given me during the last year,” he assured Starmer through a statement. A personal thank you that has not been reciprocated by his subordinate, who has thanked the “public officials, ministers and advisors” with whom he has worked, without mentioning the prime minister.
Internal changes
Wormald’s forced departure comes on top of the resignation of Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeneyand that of its Communications Director, Tim Allan. Two resignations that have put the prime minister on the ropes and almost caused a internal rebellion in the Labor Party. Starmer has managed to get away with it, at least for now, but many of his deputies and members of his Government are asking him changes in the structure of his team and put an end to the “toxic culture” they Downing Street.
The last to do so was the Minister of Culture, Lisa Nandywho has requested the appointment of a woman in positions of greatest responsibility to put an end to what is considered the “boys club” Downing Street, which has been “brimmed with misogyny” for a long time. Other renowned voices within the Government, including the Minister of Education, Bridget Phillipsonhave also reported having been victims of behavior “sexist” at the heart of the British executive power. Starmer wants to take advantage of the departures in his team to show that he is changing these dynamics and to try to please a sector of his party that is running out of patience.
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