Andy Burnham to Enhance Powers of Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo

Andy Burnham is set to grant his top civil servant, Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo, new powers to overrule other senior Whitehall officials. The Prime Minister will reportedly increase Romeo's legal authority, enabling her to direct permanent secretaries who manage government departments. According to The Times, legislation will be included in the King's Speech next year to centralize power and provide Burnham with greater ability to implement his policies. Previous Prime Ministers have expressed concerns over limitations on their power to advance their agendas. Dame Antonia, who heads the civil service, currently can request actions from permanent secretaries, but they are not legally obligated to comply. Permanent secretaries are ultimately accountable to their respective Cabinet ministers, who report to the Prime Minister. Prior to his premiership, Burnham criticized the 'turf wars' and the 'structure and culture' within Whitehall that hinder civil servants' effectiveness. In June, he stated, 'It is too adversarial and too much time is wasted with departmental silos battling each other and battling the Treasury rather than getting things done.' Alex Thomas from the Institute for Government commented on the reported plans, stating that enhancing the Cabinet Secretary's authority could help address collective action problems within the government, but it will not resolve gaps in departmental capabilities or political obstacles. Dame Antonia was appointed as Whitehall's top official in February by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, replacing Chris Wormald, who left the role amid a restructuring of Starmer's team. Wormald's exit was reported to have cost taxpayers over £500,000 in a settlement, making it a record payout. Dame Antonia previously served as permanent secretary at the Home Office. A Cabinet Office spokesman stated, 'The PM has set out a clear objective - reforming the state with devolution by default to deliver good growth in every postcode.'