News & Politics
In recent years, Sir Mark Sedwill has been one of the most powerful people in Britain. He served as the Cabinet Secretary, the Head of the Civil Service and the UK’s National Security Advisor - Three roles that put him right at the centre of government. Unusually for a Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark spent much of his career abroad, working as a diplomat in Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan, and then as Britain’s Ambassador to Afghanistan. Only twelve people, all of them men, have ever held the job of Cabinet Secretary. Although they are public figures, they historically have preferred to stay out of the headlines. In his first and only broadcast interview, Sir Mark spoke about the pressures of running government, the UK's response to Coronavirus and what would have happened in the Prime Minister hadn't recovered.