Cabinet secretary frontrunner previously spoken to about management style

The frontrunner to become the country's most senior civil servant was spoken to about her management and leadership style after an inquiry into a complaint against her.

Dame Antonia Romeo, understood to be the government's favoured candidate for cabinet secretary, was investigated over three allegations when she worked in New York in 2017.

The outcome of that investigation was "there is no case to answer", Dame Antonia was told in a letter seen by BBC News. But a source said she faced "tough conversations" about her leadership style.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson emphasised that it was a single complaint that was dismissed, and said Dame Antonia has a long "record of excellent public service".

A source said that "there were some issues of personal style that grated with people."

"That was not an easy conversation. She took her medicine," they said, but they added there had been a thorough investigation and nothing of substance was upheld.

The three allegations came from a single complaint and were related to her use of expenses and accusations of bullying when she was the government's consul-general in New York, the BBC understands.

In a letter seen by BBC News outlining the outcome of the investigation Rupert McNeil, then the government chief people officer, told Dame Antonia "there is no case to answer".

McNeil added in the letter from March 2017: "I appreciate processes of this type are always distressing, but as discussed, they are rich sources of feedback about management and leadership style.

"I know from our conversation that you are very alert to this, and this process has given you rich insight."

The letter, marked "official - sensitive", was shared with Jeremy Heywood, the then-cabinet secretary, John Manzoni, the then-permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, Kim Darroch, then-British ambassador to the US, the HR directors at the foreign office and cabinet office, and Simon McDonald, now Lord McDonald, who was then-head of the foreign office.

Lord McDonald made a highly unusual intervention this week, saying he had tried to get in touch with No10 about the possibility of Dame Antonia being appointed and warning "more due diligence" was needed.

"The due diligence needs to be thorough. If the candidate mentioned in the media is the one, in my view, the due diligence has some way still to go," he told Channel 4 News.

Others in government defended Dame Antonia vociferously, accusing Lord McDonald of a "disgusting" and "hugely irresponsible" attack on her.

One official who has worked with her recently described her as "the most inspiring leader in the civil service".

"There are people right from the very top to the most junior staff who are outraged and completely baffled. Not only that it's an attack on a civil servant who can't defend themselves, but also that it is not remotely true.

"People follow her and want to work with her."

Another official who spoke to the BBC stressed that in the nine years since the investigation, the civil servant had led three government departments with a combined staff of around 150,000 people and not received a single complaint.

Sir Matthew Rycroft, who was UK Permanent Representative to the UN at the time Romeo was in New York in 2017, said: "The decision maker was the CEO of the Civil Service. He concluded that there was no case to answer, and he reported this to the Cabinet Secretary who agreed.

"I was the senior FCDO official in New York at the time, and having seen the relevant documentation myself, I can confirm that I too was satisfied there was no case to answer in relation to the single formal complaint that was made."

Rupert McNeil, the head of HR for the British Government at the time, said: "As the head of the Civil Service Human Resources function at the time, I can confirm the investigation into the one formal complaint against Antonia nine years ago was done thoroughly and independently – and it concluded there was no case to answer.

"The smears being thrown against her are reprehensible and hypocritical. They undermine every investigation that the civil service has run.

"Former officials making these entirely inappropriate remarks were actively part of the governance of civil service processes and so it is astonishing that they feel they can make comments now which they never made to me at the time.

"She is an excellent public servant who has served governments of all stripes with diligence and respect."

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: ⁠"As we have repeatedly made clear, one formal complaint was raised nine years ago and the allegations were dismissed on the basis that there was no case to answer. This letter confirms that is the case.

"Antonia Romeo is an outstanding leader with a 25-year record of excellent public service."