Serious doubts have emerged over the future of Simon Case as head of the Civil Service, due to his involvement in the events that led to Richard Sharp‘s resignation.
Mr Sharp resigned as BBC chair on Thursday after Adam Heppinstall KC’s review found the former Tory donor had breached the code governing public appointments by failing to reveal a conflict of interest.
The investigation was sparked after reports brought to light that Mr Sharp had met Mr Case to discuss how he could help Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan guarantee from the former prime minister’s cousin, Sam Blyth.
Major questions were raised over Mr Case’s decision to meet Mr Sharp to discuss helping him facilitate a loan for the former prime minister when the meeting came to light earlier this year.
One government insider told i after the report was published: “Simon Case’s days are numbered. How many lives has he got left?”
Mr Sharp, a financier and previously Rishi Sunak’s boss at JP Morgan, insisted that he had informed Mr Case during their meeting in December 2020 to discuss the loan that he was applying for the BBC chairmanship and that this absolved him of any possible conflict of interest.
The report states: “[Mr Sharp] felt reassured after doing so because he considered that he had been removed from any conflict before one arose because he considered that he had been personally removed from any involvement in the matter, which would now be handled exclusively by the Cabinet Office.”
But according to the document, there was no official note-taker leaving Mr Case forced to rely on his own “rough notes” to try and ascertain what was said during the meeting.
The report says that the notes showed “no mention of the ‘BBC’ or any application by Mr Sharp for any appointment, in the Cabinet Secretary’s notes”.
“The notes include the words ‘Interests’, ‘Conflicts’ and ‘Disclosure’ but there is no context as to what they relate,” Mr Heppinstall states. “They might have related to the issue of the person who suggested he might possibly assist the former Prime Minister in his private financial affairs as much as they might have related to Mr Sharp’s position (or to both).”
In the findings of his report, Mr Heppinstall states that the Cabinet Secretary “did not wish to dispute” Mr Sharp’s version of events as to whether he raised the job application during their meeting, and adds: “The fact is … he simply cannot recall either way and is limited to relying on his notes.”
The report will do little to dampen concerns around the performance of Mr Case as Cabinet Secretary. He has also come under fire for his closeness to ministers and his presence at a Downing Street gathering where both Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak received fines during the pandemic.
One former senior civil servant told i this week that Mr Case was “not qualified for the job”.
The Cabinet Office said: “The Cabinet Secretary is focused on ensuring that the Civil Service and the whole of government is working together to deliver for the British people.”.
