The appointment of Simon Case to the role of No. 10’s new permanent secretary last month is already creating an interesting new power dynamic in Boris Johnson’s top team. Dominic Cummings, Downing Street’s resident grenade-thrower, is now working with someone more adept at defusing bombs. Case, a Barbour-wearing career civil servant, was poached from Kensington Palace, where he was Prince William’s right-hand man, by cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill. In his new role, Case sees anything Covid-related that crosses the Prime Minister’s desk. He is being hailed as the man to rescue the government’s erratic handling of the coronavirus crisis.
His experience with the dysfunctional royal household will stand him in good stead. As private secretary to the Duke of Cambridge, Case modernised William and Kate’s operation, turning the Cambridges into the royal family’s greatest PR weapon following Harry and Meghan’s departure in January.
Despite having served under David Cameron and Theresa May and at GCHQ, Case is a complicated choice for No.
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