A probe into bullying claims against the frontrunner to become the UK’s top civil servant found a ‘serious case to answer’ but was later ignored, it is being claimed.
Dame Antonia Romeo, who is the most senior official at the Home Office, is widely expected to become the new Cabinet Secretary and head of the civil service.
She is currently one of three Whitehall mandarins carrying out interim Cabinet Secretary duties following the sacking of Sir Chris Wormald last week.
But her bid to replace Sir Chris on a permanent basis has been hit by a row over past allegations of bullying related to her time as consul-general in New York in 2017.
The Foreign Office is said to have conducted a full investigation before the case was dropped by the Cabinet Office, the department from which she was on secondment at the time.
Officials involved in raising concerns about Dame Antonia told The Times the outcome resembled a ‘cover-up’ and accused her allies of a ‘chilling’ campaign to silence them.
A Whitehall source told the newspaper: ‘This was not a single grievance from one employee. It involved multiple concerns made by multiple staff.
‘The Foreign Office did a full investigation and found a serious case to answer which the Cabinet Office then ignored. So how did they reach that conclusion when they did not do their own investigation?’
Dame Antonia Romeo, who is the most senior official at the Home Office , is widely expected to become the new Cabinet Secretary and head of the civil service
Sir Keir Starmer is reported to want Dame Antonia to replace Sir Chris Wormald – who has been handed a £260,000 payout – as he seeks another ‘reset’ of his faltering premiership
The source added: ‘It had a huge negative impact on morale in the US. It was also deeply damaging to the whole organisation’s efforts to deal with inappropriate behaviour.
‘Because it suggested that well-connected senior individuals are beyond reproach and not subject to normal accountability.’
Allies of Dame Antonia have defended her and pointed out that she has led three Government departments since leaving the US without incident.
Rupert McNeil, who was head of HR for the Government at the time of the 2017 probe, said the investigation he oversaw was ‘done thoroughly and independently – and it concluded there was no case to answer’.
He added: ‘The smears being thrown against her are reprehensible and hypocritical. They undermine every investigation that the civil service has run.’
Sir Matthew Rycroft, who was UK permanent representative to the UN at the time, said: ‘The decision maker was the CEO of the civil service. He concluded that there was no case to answer, and he reported this to the cabinet secretary who agreed.
‘I was the senior FCDO official in New York at the time, and having seen the relevant documentation myself, I can confirm that I too was satisfied there was no case to answer in relation to the single formal complaint that was made.’
The Cabinet Office said: ‘One formal complaint was raised nine years ago – which was thoroughly investigated and the allegations were dismissed on the basis there was no case to answer.
‘While serving as consul-general in New York, Antonia Romeo was on secondment from the Cabinet Office, therefore decisions about the relevant complaint were made by the Cabinet Office. This is standard practice.’
Downing Street on Monday defended Dame Antonia, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman describing her as ‘an outstanding leader with a 25-year record of excellent public service, including having been appointed to three permanent secretary roles’.
‘One formal complaint was raised nine years ago and the allegations were dismissed on the basis that there was no case to answer,’ he said.
Further pressed on the issue, No10 said it would ‘never get into documents relating to confidential HR processes’.
‘Antonia Romeo’s record speaks for itself… I’m not going to get into individual HR files or reports,’ the spokesman added.
Sir Keir Starmer is reported to want Dame Antonia to replace Sir Chris – who has been handed a £260,000 payout – as he seeks another ‘reset’ of his faltering premiership.
She was on the shortlist to become Cabinet Secretary in December 2024 before Sir Keir opted for Sir Chris, who he has now ditched.
Dame Antonia’s former boss Lord Simon McDonald has urged the PM to start the latest recruitment process ‘from scratch’ to ensure there was proper ‘due diligence’.