One of the strongest predictions before the publication of Sue Gray’s report was that Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, would “do the right thing” and resign. As it turned out, he didn’t.
Instead, Case and the entire top 10 team seem to have avoided any sanctions or even reprimands, and it’s fair to say that not everyone is happy – especially more junior employees, dozens of whom have been fined.
Trade unions and former senior government officials told the Guardian of their strong anger at such senior officials, who are doing nothing to stop the often drunken – and sometimes disorderly – social gatherings outlined in Gray’s report, with no consequences.
While anger is directed at senior officials in general, this is a particularly difficult position for Case, the UK’s top government official, whose move from Buckingham Palace to 10 at 41 made him the youngest cabinet secretary since 1916 and one from the least experienced.
The case appears only in passing in Gray’s report and is not fined. But there is a sense that he and others in charge needed to secure more lead.
Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, which represents more junior workers, said the culture unveiled by Gray showed a “bubble 10” approved by senior management. He added: “Under any other leadership, Sue Gray’s report should be a cause for reflection for the prime minister and the top leaders around him.
Mark Servotka, secretary general of the PCS union, was even more outspoken, saying it was “outrageous that those who create culture get away with not reproaching Sue Gray’s report while junior workers pay the price.”
A former senior government official told the Guardian that the events outlined in Gray’s report had a very bad effect on Case, saying senior officials knew what was happening but “found reasons to justify it when they shouldn’t have. do it”.
“Everything looks like an exclusivity – they only checked with each other and all this is a bit self-justifying. No one stepped back and said, “I know how much you want this event and how hard you work, but you have to wait, like everyone else.”
However, the lack of sanctions against Case was not surprising, they added. “He joined the side with the prime minister. If Simon Case had left, it would have completely revealed Johnson. He is a shield. How could you take action against him when he was not fined and not the prime minister who was fined? ”Even before Gray’s report came out, many in Whitehall said Case’s behavior at Partygate should even be to resign from the investigation leadership over a Christmas quiz organized by his office was unforgivable.
“I can’t imagine the circumstances during my tenure in the civil service where if someone said it was against the law, we wouldn’t say, ‘Fair, let’s not do this,'” another former civil servant said. “Case had to resign immediately. There is a catastrophic failure of senior government officials here. “
But some believe that the dramatic loss of grace would be undeserved. A former employee who knew Case from his job at Buckingham Palace said they watched in horror the scandals engulfing Downing Street.
“Simon was considered the best and brightest, really excited,” they said. “It’s awful how things went, and I think part of it is just how all the gold that Boris Johnson touches turns into shit.”
Case was born and educated privately in Bristol. At the University of Cambridge, he studied the history of intelligence as part of his bachelor’s degree and earned a doctorate from renowned political historian Peter Hennessy at Queen Mary University in London, who described him as “muscular in mind and intellectually curious.”
Case, who is married and has three daughters, could be expected to join the security services – but in 2006 he joined the civil service, rising to senior security roles with David Cameron at number 10.
He was hired as director of strategy at GCHQ in 2015, but lasted less than a year before returning to Cameron as chief personal secretary.
Case is reportedly close to Cameron, but less friendly with Theresa May. Beneath it, he got another difficult job: finding a solution to the Irish border after Brexit.
By 2018, in the depths of Brexit chaos, Case had become Prince William’s personal secretary. A little more than two years later, he returned to №10 with the most difficult commitment of all – Secretary of State for Johnson, in the heart of the administration, where his predecessor Mark Seduil was ousted during a briefing war along with a number of others. Whitehall Permanent Secretaries.
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Case had originally returned from the palace to coordinate the coronavirus response, and did not initially run for cabinet until asked by Johnson.
“I think he will be the first to admit that he has no experience in systemic leadership. There was a clear gap in his autobiography when it came to civil service management equipment, “said a former colleague.
One Whitehall source described the civil service’s anger at Case as “visceral,” while another said he was a “submarine” during various crises, never taking the opportunity to admit mistakes or provide cover for others except premiere.
“His biggest mistake is that he did not draw a dividing line at any time with the prime minister. He never chose a battle to protect the civil service, “said the former colleague.
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