Britain's Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, Chris Wormald, has become the third senior official to step down in less than a week amid the political fallout over former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, the Cabinet Office announced Thursday, reported Xinhua.
"It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a civil servant for the past 35 years, and a particular distinction to lead the Service as Cabinet Secretary," Wormald said in a statement.
The Cabinet Office added that Prime Minister Keir Starmer will appoint a new Cabinet Secretary "shortly."
According to the British government, the Cabinet Secretary is the Prime Minister's most senior policy adviser and acts as Secretary to the Cabinet, responsible to all ministers for the running of Cabinet Government.
Wormald was appointed to the post in December 2024. Previously, he served as Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and at the Department for Education.
The wave of resignations started when Morgan McSweeney, the first senior official to step down in the fallout, quit on Sunday as Starmer's chief of staff following controversy over the appointment of Mandelson.
Mandelson was appointed ambassador to Washington in early 2025 but was dismissed by Starmer after seven months as renewed questions about his links to late American financier Jeffrey Epstein emerged.
"The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself. When asked, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice," McSweeney said in a resignation letter published by local media.
"In public life responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient. In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside," he added.
After his departure, Starmer asked his deputy chiefs of staff, Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson, to serve as acting chiefs of staff.
The series continued on Monday with the resignation of Starmer's director of communications Tim Allan.
"I have decided to stand down to allow a new No. 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success," Allan said in a brief statement sent to local media. Allan took up the post in September 2025 and served for five months.
The scandal has put growing pressure on both the British government and the royal family.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said Monday that Prince of Wales, William, and Princess of Wales, Catherine, were "deeply concerned" by the latest revelations in the Epstein files. "Their thoughts remain focused on the victims," the spokesperson said.
Earlier this month, on February 5, Starmer apologized for his decision to appoint Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States.
Speaking at an event in the town of Hastings in southeast England, Starmer said he had underestimated the seriousness of Mandelson's past association with Epstein. He offered an apology to victims connected to the Epstein case and said he understood the anger voiced across parliament.
"I want to say this. I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed, sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him, and sorry that even now you're forced to watch this story unfold in public once again," the prime minister said.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
