The head of the civil service Simon Case has announced he will resign his role at the end of the year on health grounds.
The cabinet secretary said in a letter to colleagues that he has been undergoing medical treatment for a neurological condition over the last 18 months.
He wrote: “Whilst the spirit remains willing, the body is not. It is a shame that I feel I have to spell this out, but my decision is solely to do with my health and nothing to do with anything else.”
Read his resignation letter, as seen by ITV New’s Robert Peston, in full below:
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Dear colleagues,
This morning, I informed the Prime Minister of my intention to step down as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service at the end of the year. As many of you know, I have been undergoing medical treatment for a neurological condition over the last 18 months and, whilst the spirit remains willing, the body is not. It is a shame that I feel I have to spell this out, but my decision is solely to do with my health and nothing to do with anything else.
The Prime Minister will appoint my successor following a full, open and transparent process which will be run by the First Civil Service Commissioner, in line with the requirements set out in the Cabinet Manual. The First Civil Service Commissioner will chair a panel of independent members who, following interviews, will advise the Prime Minister on appointable candidates for the role.
It has been an honour to serve two sovereigns, four Prime Ministers and over 120 Cabinet Ministers in this role. There have been far more ups than downs along the way and by far the greatest highlight has been the privilege of working with so many remarkable public servants, across the length and breadth of our country, in our overseas posts and with counterparts from our close allies and partners around the world.
Those who choose public service deserve thanks for the choice they have made, whether that service be in politics, the Civil Service, the Armed Forces, the emergency services, our National Health Service, local government and beyond. I have seen truly motivated people doing remarkable things in the pursuit of their nations’ and communities’ interests through a pandemic, wars, a change of reign, economic emergencies and unprecedented demand for modern public services. I have seen so very many colleagues committed to their purpose, displaying tenacity and ingenuity, whilst sacrificing their own personal interests for others.
As the Civil Service continues its journey forwards, I hope those who make up our number now and in the future can continue the pursuit of that necessary balance of continuity and change. The world is changing fast and so must the Civil Service. The global context, the relentless evolution of technology, increasing public expectations of the services they consume and many more factors require us to keep adapting. At the same time, the core values of our United Kingdom have not changed and so I hope that the Civil Service will hold onto its fundamental purpose and values in the never-ending task of serving the Government of the day and, through them, the people of our country. We must remain servants of others. We should resist the temptation to become the arbiters of, or participants in, legitimate democratic debate, leaving party politics to politicians and demonstrating our enduring and profound belief in democracy through the service of the elected government of the day.
There are many privileges and responsibilities that come with our constitutionally-mandated service. We are lucky to have this position and should not take it for granted. It needs to be earned afresh with each act. The challenges of the 21st century have to be met with a determination to solve problems across organisational boundaries and through the lens of life far outside Whitehall and Westminster. An institution such as ours can only play its role in driving out the darkness of ignorance if we remain relentlessly curious about better ways to understand our world and design and deliver public services. Openness to change makes us better stewards of the things that matter, such as, public services that suit the needs of their consumers, growth that benefits of the whole of our country, the preservation of our United Kingdom, the rule of law and strong defences built on the cornerstone of our nuclear deterrent, capable security and intelligence agencies and our long-standing alliances.
Every country and every generation has the tendency to think it is in some way special. To my mind, our United Kingdom has many reasons to be proud and optimistic, as well as fearless in its confidence that we can rise to the challenges we face at home and abroad. A Civil Service, able to adapt its ways and means, whilst focused on the ultimate end of serving our country, can play its important part in the nation’s chapters yet to be written.
I look forward to working with you over the coming months, and I continue to wish you all the very best in your vital endeavours.
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