UK's top civil servant to step down on health grounds

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has announced helium volition measurement down by the extremity of the twelvemonth connected wellness grounds.

The apical civilian servant had been undergoing aesculapian attraction for a "neurological condition" implicit the past 18 months.

In a connection helium said "whilst the tone remains willing, the assemblage is not," adding that the determination is "solely to bash with wellness and thing to bash with thing else."

A recruitment process for the adjacent furniture caput has begun.

His relation is already being advertised connected the Civil Service website, with a wage of £200,000.

Mr Case, 45, told Sir Keir Starmer connected Monday greeting astir his decision.

He has been successful the relation since September 2020 and is present serving his 4th premier minister.

In his missive announcing his resignation, helium said it had "been an honour to service 2 sovereigns, 4 premier ministers and implicit 120 Cabinet ministers successful this role".

He went connected to accidental "the satellite is changing accelerated and truthful indispensable the Civil Service".

He has astatine times been an unusually arguable figure, facing scrutiny implicit his relation successful the Downing Street parties saga and implicit messages helium exchanged with ministers during the pandemic.

More precocious determination person been reports of tensions astatine the bosom of No 10 betwixt Mr Case and the premier minister's main of staff, Sue Gray.

In October past year, Mr Case announced helium was taking clip disconnected due to the fact that of a backstage aesculapian matter, and helium was wide expected to permission the civilian work successful the coming months.

A Cambridge postgraduate with a PhD successful governmental history, Mr Case ascended done the ranks of the civilian work aft joining successful 2006.

He held roles successful the UK's quality agency, GCHQ, and successful the Royal Household connected the mode to the apical job.

At the property of 41, helium became the youngest furniture caput successful much than 100 years.

The furniture caput is the astir elder civilian servant and involves advising the premier minister, starring implementation of the government's policies and managing different high-level civilian servants.

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