Civil Service chief eyes US posting after Huawei row
Ambassador job for Cabinet Secretary could avoid embarrassment as Williamson returns
THE senior civil servant at the centre of the Huawei leak inquiry is being lined up for a top overseas posting as Gavin Williamson is tipped to return to the Cabinet.
Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, is said to be eyeing up a move to be the British ambassador in Washington if Boris Johnson wins the Tory leadership election next month.
Mr Williamson, the former defence secretary sacked by Theresa May over the Huawei affair, is a key supporter of Mr Johnson and sure to play a part in his administration.
Meanwhile, Olly Robbins resigned as Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator last night and is expected to leave government shortly after the new prime minister takes power next month, the Press Association reported. Mr Robbins, who secured Mrs May’s doomed Brexit deal in Brussels, was seen as having an untenable position by some figures in Mr Johnson’s team.
He has previously been blamed for softening the terms of Britain’s exit and failing to demand concessions from the EU on the Northern Irish backstop.
In terms of Sir Mark’s move to Washington, the only likely obstacle would be if Mr Johnson wants to appoint a political figure to help win the trust of Donald Trump.
George Osborne, the former chancellor, or Lord Howard of Lympne, the former party leader, have been mooted as candidates, although both would be resisted by the Civil Service.
Sir Mark instigated and led the investigation into the leak of talks at a National Security Council meeting in April about Huawei, the Chinese technology company, and its possible role in the construction of Britain’s 5G network.
Mr Williamson was then sacked as defence secretary by Mrs May, despite strenuously protesting his innocence. To avoid any awkwardness, Sir Mark is tipped by ministers to gain the ambassador role, replacing Sir Kim Darroch, who has been in Washington since 2016 and is due for a move.
Sir Kim was National Security Adviser from 2012 to 2015, so moving Sir Mark, who also serves as National Security Adviser, to Washington can be seen as a logical next step for him.
One minister who is close to Mr Johnson said: “Darroch has done his three years so it is time. Sedwill is brilliant, but he has got too much on doing NSA and Cabinet Secretary.”
Mr Williamson and Sir Mark first fell out last year after Mr Williamson successfully argued defence should be split from a national security review run by Sir Mark. Mr Williamson is tipped to return to the front line as either deputy prime minister or as chief whip.
Jeremy Hunt, who is forecast to lose to Mr Johnson in the leadership runoff, is also mooted as a possible deputy prime minister.
Sajid Javid is expected to move to the Treasury, Steve Baker is earmarked to run the Brexit department, while Jacob Rees-Mogg could take over as party chairman or Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Jake Berry, the Northern Powerhouse Minister, is tipped for Housing, Zac Goldsmith for Environment, and Grant Shapps, the former party chairman, could go to Transport.
Kit Malthouse, currently in Housing and James Cleverly, a Brexit minister, are both close to Mr Johnson from his time as Mayor of London and are in the running to be party chairman.
Michael Gove, who ran for the leadership, is tipped to move to Housing or be Mr Johnson’s Cabinet Office enforcer, although questions still remain about whether the pair can work together.
Mr Johnson’s allies insisted he has not promised anyone Cabinet jobs.