Mark Sedwill photograph

Mark Sedwill

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Gender Male
Age 59
Date of birth October 21,1964
Zodiac sign Libra
Born Ealing
London
United Kingdom
Office Cabinet Secretary
Previous officeActing Cabinet Secretary of the United Kingdom (2018–2018)
Job Diplomat
Education St Edmund Hall
University of St Andrews
Bourne Grammar School
Position Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom since 2020
Previous positionCabinet Secretary of the United Kingdom (2018–2020)
BooksHer Majesty's Passport Office Annual Report and Accounts for the Period 1 April - 30 September 2014
Date of Reg.
Date of Upd.
ID535947
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Mark Sedwill Life story


Mark Philip Sedwill, Baron Sedwill, GCMG, FRGS, is a British diplomat and senior civil servant who served as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service to Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson from 2018 to 2020. He also served as the United Kingdom National Security Adviser from 2017 to 2020.

Covid inquiry: Toxic culture damaged response, says Matt Hancock

Covid inquiry: Toxic culture damaged response, says Matt Hancock
Nov 30,2023 12:41 pm

... More on Covid and the Covid InquiryIn the session, the inquiry was shown extracts from Sir Patrick s diary which described a " massive internal mess" inside the health department and reported that then-civil service head Sir Mark Sedwill complained of the department s " clear lack of grip"...

Boris Johnson urged to to remove Matt Hancock by top official

Boris Johnson urged to to remove Matt Hancock by top official
Nov 8,2023 12:41 pm

......

'Stiletto row' official to appear at Covid inquiry

'Stiletto row' official to appear at Covid inquiry
Nov 1,2023 12:01 am

... " What, then, in practical terms, does she think that meant for the government s response to the pandemic? How much worse did this make what would be - under any circumstances - a massive challenge for any government at any time? What more will she say about the impact of the, the country s then most senior civil servant, Mark Sedwill, at the height of the pandemic? He and Dominic Cummings had a well-documented dreadful relationship...

Covid inquiry texts show No 10 staff complaining about Carrie Johnson

Covid inquiry texts show No 10 staff complaining about Carrie Johnson
Oct 13,2023 11:01 am

... Mr Johnson also describes Mark Sedwill, the head of the civil service until September 2020, as " miles off pace"...

Covid Inquiry focuses on government as stakes rise

Covid Inquiry focuses on government as stakes rise
Oct 2,2023 10:01 pm

... Another two weeks is set aside to hear from advisers and civil servants, expected to include Dominic Cummings and former cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill...

Boris Johnson: Officials discussed raising concerns about former PM to Queen

Boris Johnson: Officials discussed raising concerns about former PM to Queen
Sep 18,2023 1:11 am

... There were a number of clashes between Dominic Cummings, the former prime minister s controversial chief of staff, and the head of the Civil Service, who subsequently left, Sir Mark Sedwill...

Simon Case: 'Keeper of secrets' under scrutiny

Simon Case: 'Keeper of secrets' under scrutiny
Feb 3,2023 4:41 pm

... As questions swirl over Mr Case, is the system of civil service working as it should be? Mr Case first took the job in September 2020, when he replaced Sir Mark Sedwill, who was sacked by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson...

West ferry planning series: Jenrick texted projects, documents show

West ferry planning series: Jenrick texted projects, documents show
Jun 25,2020 12:16 am

... Amid calls from opposition MPs for a full inquiry by the chief of the Cabinet, of the UK s top civil servants, Mark Sedwill, said Mr Jenrick, a complete and factual account of his actions had given...

No-deal Brexit preparations 'top priority', Boris Johnson says

Jun 24,2020 12:02 pm

Preparing for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit should be "The Top priority" for civil servants, Boris Johnson has told them in a letter.

The PM said he would prefer to get a deal with the EU, but he said he recognised this "may not happen".

Earlier Jeremy Corbyn had urged the UK's top civil servant to intervene to prevent a no-deal Brexit happening during a general election campaign.

It Comes amid speculation MPs could back a no-confidence motion in the PM.

In his letter to civil servants, Mr Johnson said the UK must be prepared to leave the EU by the latest Brexit deadline of 31 October "whatever the circumstances".

"That is why preparing urgently and rapidly for the possibility of an exit without a deal will be my top priority, and it will be The Top priority for the Civil Service too. "

It is understood that government special advisers also received an email Last Night from the PM's senior adviser Eddie Lister instructing them not to take annual leave until after 31 October.

Mr Johnson's message to civil servants follows a similar letter sent by Chancellor Sajid Javid earlier this month to HM Revenue and Customs.

Mr Javid also ordered the tax authority to make preparing for no-deal its "absolute top priority", including helping The Public to prepare for the possibility.

He said this should include making sure IT systems are ready, helping businesses with a helpline, and contacting traders directly.

Confidence vote

In his to Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill , Mr Corbyn said it would be an "anti-democratic abuse of power" if the PM allowed a no-deal to occur by default during a general election campaign, if the government was defeated in a vote of no confidence.

Shadow chancellor John Mcdonnell has said it is "almost inevitable" that Labour would push for such a vote when The Commons returns from its summer recess on 3 September.

It is thought MPs opposed to no-deal could back the vote in a bid to prevent the UK leaving the EU without an Agreement - leading to a general election being called.

Election rules say Parliament should be dissolved 25 Working Days before polling day - so some people are concerned Mr Johnson could allow a no-deal Brexit to happen while MPs are not sitting.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Johnson's senior adviser at No 10, Dominic Cummings , has told MPs even losing such a vote could not stop the PM taking the UK out of the EU on 31 October.

He Mr Johnson could call an election for after the deadline, with Brexit taking place in the meantime.

Backstop concerns

Theresa May 's Brexit deal was rejected Three Times by MPs and, as things stand, the UK will leave the EU on 31 October whether it has agreed a new one or not.

Mr Johnson has urged the EU to make changes to The Deal , but has said the UK must leave by this deadline with or without an Agreement .

Many of those who voted against The Deal had concerns over the backstop, which if implemented, would see Northern Ireland staying aligned to some rules of the EU single market.

It would also see the UK stay in a single customs territory with the EU, and align with current and future EU rules On Competition and state aid.

These arrangements would apply unless and until both the EU and UK agreed they were no longer necessary.

On Thursday Mr Johnson again urged the EU to compromise on the Irish border, designed to guarantee there will not be a hard Irish border after Brexit.

However, the EU has continued to insist that the withdrawal deal agreed by Mrs May last year, including the backstop, cannot be renegotiated.

Meanwhile, a transport Minister has said he supports the government position of leaving the EU in all circumstances, following comments he made about a no-deal Brexit.

George Freeman told it would be an "absolute disaster" for the UK in the long term if it only traded with the EU on WTO [World Trade Organization] terms, without its own free trade deal with The Bloc .

But he later tweeted to say he "totally supports" The Position that the UK should leave with no deal on 31 October, "if the EU is unwilling to negotiate".

In response, Downing Street told the BBC that Mr Freeman has the "full support of the Prime Minister ".



boris johnson, civil service, brexit

Source of news: bbc.com

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