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The former cabinet secretary, Lord O’Donnell, has commented that the top civil service role is “massively underpaid”. He is currently involved in the recruitment process for the £200,000-a-year position, after Simon Case’s decision to resign due to health grounds. Lord O’Donnell, who held the post from 2005 to 2011, believes the role is “incredibly demanding” and should carry a higher salary. The cabinet secretary role is the most senior civil service position in the UK, involving advising the prime minister and other high-level civil servants.
Lord O’Donnell described the job as a “huge job,” including leading the implementation of government policies and managing high-level civil servants. He stated that it is “massively underpaid” given the demands of the role, claiming he had earned a lot more since then despite having to do much less work. Lord O’Donnell served as the cabinet secretary for three prime ministers, including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and David Cameron. He stepped down in 2011, under the coalition government.
The recruitment process is currently underway to replace Simon Case before the end of the year, who cited health reasons for his resignation. Whoever replaces him will need to have a “good relationship” with the prime minister’s chief of staff, Sue Gray. Gray, who used to be a senior civil servant, was at the centre of a row over her salary in September when it was revealed that she had been earning £170,000 a year, which is more than the prime minister’s salary of £166,786.
Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, criticised the comments made by Lord O’Donnell, who was promoting the idea that senior civil service roles should carry higher salaries, despite the impact of the pandemic on working-class families. She argued there is a “real lack of awareness” from senior figures and stated that pay for these roles was already sufficient in comparison to other public sector positions. Besides, it is essential to strengthen the UK’s educational system to provide opportunities for people from all backgrounds, which should be given the highest priority, she emphasised
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