Starmer's dismissal triggers unprecedented £500,000 exit deal for ex-civil service chief

Chris Wormald, the former head of the UK

Chris Wormald, the former head of the UK civil service, received an unprecedented severance package of roughly £500,000 after being ousted from his post by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to newly revealed figures.

The payout, which stands as the largest of its kind on record, came after Wormald spent a mere 14 months as cabinet secretary—the top official in Whitehall—before Antonia Romeo stepped into the role. The disclosure has sparked fresh debate over the cost of high-level political shake-ups.

Wormald's departure marked a significant shift in the government's senior ranks, with the Prime Minister moving swiftly to install his own choice at the helm of the civil service. The size of the settlement has raised eyebrows among transparency campaigners, who argue that such sums underscore the financial weight of abrupt leadership changes.

A government spokesperson defended the payment, noting i…

A government spokesperson defended the payment, noting it was in line with standard contractual terms for senior officials. However, critics have questioned whether taxpayers should bear the burden of what they describe as an outsized golden goodbye for a relatively short tenure.

This episode adds to a broader pattern of turnover at the top of the civil service, as successive administrations reshape the bureaucracy to align with their priorities. For now, the record figure stands as a notable marker in the ongoing conversation about public sector pay and accountability.