Gus O'Donnell
Summary
Sir Augustine Thomas "Gus" O'Donnell, KCB (born 1 October 1952) is a British civil servant, who is the current Cabinet Secretary, the highest rank in the British Civil Service. He is consequently, under current practice, Head of the Home Civil Service, which means he has authority over all civil servants except those who are part of the UK Diplomatic Service. He announced in August 2010 he would serve for a further two years but step down at some point before the end of the current parliament.O'Donnell was born and raised in south London. Educated at Salesian College, Battersea, he read economics at the University of Warwick before taking his M.Phil.
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Leveson inquiry: in search of a smoking gun | Ian Katz
Lord Justice Leveson could soon discover why David Cameron failed to give Andy Coulson fullsecurity vetting.
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A law and a courtroom, but who will be judge on Jeremy Hunt? | Peter Preston
For years, investigations into the conduct of ministers have bogged down in political expediency. This must be the case that breaks the trend.
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Now Jeremy Hunt must resign | Tom Watson
Jeremy Hunt has got to go. The emails revealed on Wednesday show a web of connections between ministerial operatives and executives of News Corporation that shocked the most cynical Leveson watchers. They show a cosy relationship that was forged between the ambitious culture secretary and the power-hungry executives of News Corp that nearly gave them huge commercial advantage over their rival media groups.
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Letters: Freedom of information provides the scrutiny we need
It is both depressing and predictable that just a few years after our weak Freedom of Information laws came into force the drive to further cripple them is already gathering pace (Freedom of Information: a retrograde step, 9 March).
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Freedom of Information: a retrograde step | Editorial
In the seven years since it came into force, the act has shed light on data the authorities did not choose to reveal.
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John Yates 'resisted handing over phone records' in hunt for media leak
Leveson inquiry told Yates defended his refusal during cash-for-honours investigation on his being 'very well connected'.
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MPs call for lobbyists register after Bureau of Investigative Journalism's undercover reports
MPs will be urged to back calls for a statutory register of commercial lobbyists with access to Parliament following the undercover reporting by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, BBC News says today.
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The Guardian: FoI act has ‘hamstrung’ government
"Britain's top civil servant said. Sir Gus O'Donnell told the Commons public administration select committee that [the Freedom of Information Act] had stymied full and frank discussion of options by ministers and others in government. ".
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Downing Street 'did not record who knew' about Andy Coulson vetting
Freedom of information request for names of ministers or officials involved in background check decision is refused.
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Phone hacking inquiry: unanswered questions | editorial
The PCC is not a 'regulator' and has no effective ability to investigate or to apply meaningful sanctions.
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