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Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Antonia Romeo as the country’s most senior civil servant has prompted dismay among former colleagues who complained about what they considered bullying behaviour when she was a diplomat in New York.
Several people who worked with Romeo at the New York consulate nearly 10 years ago have told the Guardian they are upset by the prime minister’s decision to make her cabinet secretary despite knowing about their complaints.
The allegations from several colleagues were made as part of one formal complaint against Romeo in 2017. That complaint was investigated by a senior diplomat who found that she had a case to answer, but was then dismissed by her line managers at the Cabinet Office, who gave her the all clear.
The complaint has resurfaced in recent days after Simon McDonald, the former lead civil servant at the Foreign Office, urged the prime minister to do more due diligence before making his decision. Starmer put aside those objections on Thursday when he confirmed Romeo’s appointment, making her the first ever female cabinet secretary.
One former complainant said: “It is pretty extraordinary but not exactly out of character for the current No 10. It is just another example of poor judgment, and the elevation of those with questionable integrity despite the concerns raised by ordinary people.”
Another said: “There is a real risk this comes back to bite the prime minister. The many people she bullied and intimidated, most of them women, will now feel failed for a second time. It’s not a good look for the civil service or the government.”
A third complainant said: “Taking shortcuts to make appointments based on special treatment instead of merit and due diligence has already created chaos. This is an indication that problematic leadership decisions will persist.”
Government sources have insisted that the allegations against Romeo should not be counted against her given they are 10 years old and were dismissed at the time by the Cabinet Office.
Starmer defended his decision on Friday, calling Romeo “an outstanding public servant, with a 25‑year record of delivering for the British people”.
He added: “Antonia has shown she is the right person to drive the government to reform and I look forward to working with her to deliver this period of national renewal.”
Romeo said it was a “huge privilege” to become the head of the civil service.
“The civil service is a great and remarkable institution, which I love,” she said. “We should be known for delivery, efficiency and innovation, working to implement the government’s agenda and meet the challenges the country faces.”
Romeo’s supporters say she is dynamic and willing to break civil service conventions to achieve the government’s goals.
But her critics say she is more focused on promoting herself than the government she works for and that her impatience at more junior staff has sometimes tipped over into bullying.
According to the complaint made in 2017, Romeo told several colleagues she would end or damage their careers after disagreements in the normal course of work.
One allegation says Romeo warned that the refusal by a junior member of staff to comply with a particular request was a “career-limiting move” and “would only happen once”.
Another who disagreed with one of Romeo’s ideas said Romeo told her she “would make sure [that person’s] reputation and career in London suffered”.
Other allegations included in the complaint concerned her financial affairs. They included her decision to get Farrow & Ball to provide more than $100,000 (£74,000) worth of paint to redecorate her residence in return for free publicity, as well as a $250 (£186) expense claim for a taxi to a football match.
The allegations, which were part of one complaint, were all investigated at the time by Tim Hitchens, a former ambassador to Japan, who was flown in to conduct a week-long review.
Hitchens found that she had a case to answer on her management style, but not on her financial affairs. His finding was overturned by the Cabinet Office however, which said she had no case to answer.
Three complainants from the time have contacted the Cabinet Office in recent weeks to raise concerns about her previous behaviour.
Downing Street insisted on Thursday that full vetting had taken place on a previous occasion when she was considered for the job. No 10 said it had consulted the civil service commissioner, Gisela Stuart, who said the full process did not need to be re-run.
