Cabinet Secretary frontrunner repaid journey bills after employees raised issues taxpayers had been funding her London to New York commute
The frontrunner to take over as boss of the civil service repaid travel expenses after commuting from London to New York at taxpayers’ expense, it has emerged.
Dame Antonia Romeo, who has also faced a bullying inquiry, is understood to be Sir Keir Starmer‘s favoured candidate for cabinet secretary.
She flew at taxpayers’ expense between New York, where she was living while HM consul-general, and London after getting a new civil service job in 2017.
Dame Antonia later repaid the costs, believed to run into tens of thousands of pounds, after officials raised concerns regarding the bills.
Dame Antonia also used her official residence in the US to host glitzy parties for the likes of former Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour, who posted photos of herself with stars, including actress Dame Joanna Lumley.
A Government spokesman confirmed: ‘For a short transition period in 2017, while she was acting as both consul-general in New York and permanent secretary for the Department for International Trade in London, Antonia incurred travel, accommodation and other costs, under an agreed arrangement.
‘She suggested paying some of these back and did so. This was entirely within standard process and agreed at the time.’
It comes as Sir Keir was urged to get on with the process of appointing a cabinet secretary.
High life: Dame Antonia Romeo parties with Dame Joanna Lumley
Dame Antonia Romeo, who has also faced a bullying inquiry, is understood to be Sir Keir Starmer’s favoured candidate for cabinet secretary
A week after the Prime Minister forced out Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald, he still has not announced how his successor will be chosen.
Sir Keir must agree the process with the First Civil Service Commissioner, Baroness Stuart, and there have been calls for it to be done quickly, as it has been done in the past.
But talks are continuing, and No 10 is also under pressure to hold a full open recruitment process and not to fast-track it, given the vetting failure over Lord Mandelson.
Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesman Lisa Smart said: ‘No 10 is starting to look like a fairground with the endless merry-go-round of staff passing through its doors.
‘The Prime Minister needs to get on with appointing a Cabinet Secretary.’
Tory MP Alex Burghart said: ‘A week ago, Keir Starmer forced out the head of the civil service… Yet we still don’t know anything about the process to replace [him].’
