Guido can reveal that Cabinet Office permanent secretary Cat Little is in discussions around her departure from her role. Labour’s efforts to replace personnel in the hulking Cabinet Office continue…
Guido first reported on concerns around Little’s performance in summer last year when a Downing Street source noted that she “seems to promise the earth all the time but can’t deliver.” Part of the Cabinet Office’s dysfunction with additional blame placed on Chris Wormald and Second Permanent Secretary Clara Swinson – both of whom are now gone…
Little has served as Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office since February 2024. She has – in conjunction with Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo – been at the forefront of efforts to access UK Security Vetting information on Peter Mandelson. That involved weeks of argument with Olly Robbins at the FCDO. Little is due before a hearing of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee tomorrow to discuss the matter…
A Whitehall source said: “There is a growing unease about Cat Little, who herself is not best liked around the system.” The source added that according to Whitehall chatter Little’s departure from government has been waylaid by the ascension of Antonia Romeo and the subsequent Mandelson vetting affair.
A Downing Street source said that Little is “due a move,” adding: “She’s not got a series of recent Permanent Secretary roles and is out of road. She and Antonia are now agreeing how and when she goes.” There’s a Perm Sec vacancy at DBT if Little fancies another go…
Efforts to replace Little will be marred by Starmer’s collapse of relations with the Civil Service. A Whitehall source said: “Not many people are going to want that job.” Quite…
UPDATE: A No10 spokesman said: “Cat is a high performing permanent secretary with a brilliant record of public service and modern leadership. There is absolutely no suggestion that her position is in question. She is a valued member of the civil service top team.”
Red Wall Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told GB News that Starmer should resign:
“I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”