Cabinet secretary frontrunner Antonia Romeo faced multiple bullying complaints

Dame Antonia Romeo, currently a senior civil servant at the Home Office and regarded by some in Whitehall for her efficiency, is being considered for the position of head of the UK civil service. However, new information has emerged concerning her conduct during her tenure as the UK’s consul general in New York around a decade ago. Documents obtained by the BBC reveal that multiple individuals made several complaints about her behaviour during that period, contradicting official statements that there was only one formal complaint.

While the government maintains that three allegations—related to expenses misuse and bullying of staff—were investigated and found to have “no case to answer,” insiders have challenged the assertion that these stemmed from a singular complaint. Senior officials such as Sir Matthew Rycroft and Rupert McNeil have recently stated there was just one complaint, but sources familiar with the matter assert that there were multiple grievances submitted together as one dossier. These complaints describe Dame Antonia’s management style as “unreasonable,” “degrading,” and “demeaning,” with criticism focused on her prioritising personal social media branding over promoting the UK government.

During her role as consul general from 2016 to 2017, Dame Antonia was responsible for advancing UK trade and business interests in New York following the Brexit referendum. It has been revealed that a staff survey from that time recorded a 47% incidence of bullying experienced by employees there—the highest level ever reported within the Foreign Office—far exceeding the usual low single-digit percentages found elsewhere. Several former colleagues characterised her as “smart, dynamic and really talented,” but also “very demanding, very disrespectful, very threatening,” with an approach that “inflames rather than calms a situation,” creating a climate of fear.

Investigations led by a former ambassador to Japan, Sir Tim Hitchens, probed allegations including bullying, financial matters, and accusations that she placed personal priorities above those of the wider government team in New York. The Foreign Office’s review reportedly found that while no issues arose concerning financial probity, Dame Antonia’s behaviour towards staff warranted scrutiny. Government sources argue that resurfacing these claims years later is inappropriate, dismissing them as “vexatious anonymous briefings.” Meanwhile, concerns about her social media presence were documented at that time, with staff describing an obsession with self-promotion that generated tension and anxiety within the office environment. The Cabinet Office continues to defend Dame Antonia as an outstanding leader with extensive public service experience, emphasising that the formal complaint was investigated and dismissed nearly a decade ago

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