Former Cabinet Secretary: it’s the weaker ministers that use their officials as an alibi
Thursday 12 December 2024
Former Cabinet Secretary Lord (Mark) Sedwill says that ministers who use their officials as an excuse for government failings tend to be “weaker.”
He made the comments in a new interview published today with the Lord Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith, for his podcast Lord Speaker’s Corner.
Lord Sedwill said:
“Usually the strongest ministers are the ones who actually tend to be the most complimentary about their officials. And it's the weaker ministers who will sometimes use their officials as an alibi. It's really simple.”
Lord Sedwill was appointed Cabinet Secretary in 2018 by Theresa May. He also served concurrently as National Security Adviser during one of the most turbulent political times in recent history during the Brexit negotiations and the Salisbury poisonings.
During the interview, Lord McFall discusses Lord Sedwill’s views on reforming and modernising the Civil Service, including sharing his advice for the next Cabinet Secretary.
Lord Sedwill also shares his “James Bond” moments, working in some of most intense regions for the Foreign Office including Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq where, whilst working as a UN weapons inspector, he was held at gunpoint by a young man when trying to gain access to one of Sadam Hussein’s palaces:
“This youngster, he was probably only 16 or 17. He wasn't scared of us, he was scared of getting it wrong and what would happen to him or his family. And I remember having to calm the situation down. One of the American inspectors with us was trying to, it was a big guy trying to overbear this youngster, use his physical presence, and you could just see the situation was getting out of control. And so I intervened and just used my Arabic and tried to calm the situation down. And that's probably the closest I ever came to being shot directly by someone where there was absolutely no protection.”