Simon Case: Who’s the federal government’s new prime civil servant?

Simon Case has been appointed cupboard secretary and head of the civil service – and thus takes on the unofficial title of a very powerful man in politics you have most likely by no means heard of.

The cupboard secretary is the highest job within the civil service and entails advising the prime minister, main implementation of the federal government’s insurance policies and managing different high-level civil servants.

Regardless of the facility they wield, cupboard secretaries, in contrast to ministers, often keep behind the scenes and infrequently give public interviews.

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Born in Bristol in 1978, Mr Case attended Bristol Grammar Faculty, an unbiased college which boasts comic Mark Watson and Darth Vader actor David Prowse amongst its alumni.

He attended Trinity School Cambridge the place he studied historical past and went on to finish a PhD in political historical past at Queen Mary College London.

His thesis – the Joint Intelligence Committee and the German Query, 1947-61 – checked out how evaluation from that committee knowledgeable authorities coverage in the course of the Chilly Conflict.

In 2006, he joined the civil service as a Ministry of Defence coverage adviser.

Over the subsequent eight years he held roles within the Cupboard Workplace, the Northern Eire Workplace, GCHQ and on the Olympic Secretariat – which was concerned in overseeing the 2012 Olympic Video games in London.

In 2012 he grew to become non-public secretary to then-Prime Minister David Cameron.

After a stint within the Cupboard Workplace’s Implementation Group, he returned to No 10 and has labored as principal non-public secretary to the PM.

In recent times he has taken on roles in difficult areas.

He was a part of the workforce concerned within the Brexit talks however left in 2018 to turn into Prince William’s non-public secretary – a job which left him negotiating a really totally different exit as Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan sought to step again from life as senior royals.

Earlier this 12 months Mr Case once more returned to No 10, this time to assist with the federal government’s coronavirus response.

In line with Who’s Who he’s a member of the Garrick and Hawks’ golf equipment and his hobbies embrace biking, rowing, working and swimming.

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His predecessor Gus O’Donnell, cupboard secretary from 2005-2011, instructed the BBC it’s “a shock to have somebody so younger” within the position, however added that the brand new prime civil servant had loads of Downing Road expertise, including, “I am positive he’ll develop into the position.”

He additionally mentioned Mr Case “is aware of easy methods to make issues occur” and had “clearly developed the belief of the prime minister”.

Lord O’Donnell mentioned one in all his process can be getting Boris Johnson to “perceive he must work with the civil service slightly than in opposition to them”.

Mr Case’s appointment comes at a time when the federal government is looking for to shake up the civil service with senior advisor Dominic Cummings warning of a “laborious rain”.

Former Treasury everlasting secretary Nick Macpherson described Mr Case as “a sound man and a very good appointment” including “he is aware of a factor or two about Whitehall”.

Simon Case now takes on a pivotal position within the civil service at a time of very vital change.

The federal government may be very eager to do fairly sweeping reforms so far as the civil service is anxious.

We have seen a number of everlasting secretaries, and the cupboard secretary not within the roles they have been beforehand in.

This can be a signal of that change.

It’s also an indication that it’s not simply police workplaces who’re wanting youthful.

He’s essentially the most senior civil servant of the nation and he’s simply 41-years-old.