In a letter to coworkers, the 45-year-old cabinet secretary disclosed that he has spent the last 18 months receiving medical care for a neurological ailment.
Regretfully, I feel compelled to clarify that my decision has nothing to do with anything other than my health.”
After taking two months off due to illness, Mr. Case returned to work in January; nonetheless, this is the first time he has disclosed specifics of his ailment to the public.
When then-prime minister Boris Johnson appointed him cabinet secretary in September 2020, he became the most senior civil servant in the UK.
Throughout his tenure, he has made headlines. Most recently, there have been rumors of conflict between Mr. Case and Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Sue Gray, at the heart of Number 10.
Throughout the COVID investigation, Mr. Case was also a major character. His messages made it clear that he was frequently frustrated with the Johnson administration, calling the former president’s inner circle “basically feral” and implying that his wife Carrie was “the real person in charge.”
Mr. Case acknowledged the difficult years he had spent in the position in a message to his coworkers, writing: “It has been an honor to serve two sovereigns, four prime ministers, and over 120 Cabinet ministers in this role.”