Lord Gus O’Donnell, the former head of the civil service, has sparked controversy by labelling the £200,000-a-year salary for the head of the civil service as “massively underpaid”. Tasked with overseeing the selection process for Simon Case’s successor as cabinet secretary, Lord O’Donnell expressed his views on the remuneration for the role during an interview with BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour.
According to Lord O’Donnell, who previously served as cabinet secretary, the current salary falls short in comparison to other roles he has undertaken since leaving the civil service, despite entailing lesser responsibilities. The salary for senior civil servants is determined based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
The cabinet secretary holds the crucial position of being the primary policy adviser to the prime minister and is entrusted with ensuring the smooth operation of the government. Simon Case, the current cabinet secretary, announced his decision to step down from the role at the end of the year due to health reasons.
Notably, tensions within No 10 between Mr Case and Sir Keir’s chief of staff Sue Gray have surfaced, with Ms Gray also choosing to resign following the developments. Lord O’Donnell highlighted the importance of the new cabinet secretary forging a positive relationship with the prime minister’s chief of staff for effective governance.
Having served as cabinet secretary during Tony Blair’s tenure in 2005, Lord O’Donnell earned acclaim for his ability to navigate high-level government disputes. Despite proposing controversial reforms such as open primaries and House of Lords reform, Lord O’Donnell’s tenure came to an end in 2011 under the coalition government led by David Cameron.
In light of recent developments, Sue Gray’s decision to step down as Sir Keir’s chief of staff due to becoming a “distraction” has attracted attention. Her departure was prompted by intense scrutiny surrounding her £170,000 salary, which notably exceeds that of the prime minister.
As the search for Simon Case’s replacement intensifies, Lord O’Donnell’s remarks on the inadequacy of the cabinet secretary’s salary bring to the fore longstanding debates over the remuneration of top civil service roles. The forthcoming appointment of a new cabinet secretary amid ongoing political challenges underscores the significance of ensuring the role is adequately compensated.