Chris Martin (civil servant)

Christopher Jon Martin, CB, CVO (15 May 1973 – 25 November 2015) was a British civil servant. He was Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2012 to 2015.

Chris Martin
CB CVO
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
In office
5 December 2011 – 25 November 2015
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byJames Bowler
Succeeded bySimon Case
Personal details
Born
Christopher Jon Martin

(1973-05-15)15 May 1973
Died25 November 2015(2015-11-25) (aged 42)
Resting placeHighgate Cemetery
Alma materUniversity of Bristol
AwardsCB (2014)
CVO (2015)

Early life

Martin was born on 15 May 1973 in West Bromwich, Black Country, England.[1] He was brought up in Hampshire, on the edge of the New Forest, and educated at Noadswood School, Dibden Purlieu (his local comprehensive school) and at Totton College, his local sixth form college.[2] He studied physics at the University of Bristol before switching to a degree in politics, and graduated in 1996.[3]

Career

After graduating from university, Martin took the Civil Service fast-stream entrance exam. He came top and chose to join HM Treasury for what would be the last months of Kenneth Clarke's tenure.[1] Under Brown, Martin took a number of roles, including being seconded to the Security Service ("MI5").[1] He eventually served as Brown's Press Secretary, remaining in post serving Alistair Darling when he replaced him as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He held board level jobs at the Treasury and a Cabinet Office agency.[4]

In January 2010, Martin moved to the Cabinet Office and was appointed deputy to the Cabinet Secretary (then Sir Gus O'Donnell).[3] In December 2011, he was appointed the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister and Director General of the Prime Minister's Office.

In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Martin was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) "for public service".[5] In 2015, he was also appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO); he was presented with the insignia for his CVO during a special ceremony in hospital (UCLH) on 21 November 2015, four days before his death.[1][6]

Grave of Chris Martin in Highgate Cemetery

He was described by former Head of the Civil Service Jeremy Heywood as "quite simply, one of the finest civil servants of his generation".[7]

Death

Martin died from sarcoma[8] on 25 November 2015. Tributes were paid to him during Prime Minister's Questions,[9] and the Officials' Box was left empty on the request of the Prime Minister. A memorial service was held at St Margaret's, Westminster on 18 October 2016.[10] He is buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery.

Personal life

In 2005, Martin married Christina Scott.[1] They separated in 2011 and later divorced.[11] Shortly before his death he married Zoe Conway, a BBC journalist.[1][12] Martin was a fan of Arsenal F.C. and held a season ticket.[1]

References
  1. "Chris Martin, civil servant - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  2. Brogan, Benedict (29 November 2015). "Chris Martin obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  3. Perraudin, Frances (25 November 2015). "David Cameron pays tribute to 'my Bernard' after aide's death". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  4. "Chris Martin". www.gov.uk.
  5. "Queen's birthday honours list 2014: Order of the Bath: CB". The Guardian. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  6. "Court Circular, November 23". The Times. 26 November 2015.
  7. Heywood, Suzanne (3 February 2022). What Does Jeremy Think?. William Collins. p. 442. ISBN 978-0008353162.
  8. "Chris Martin: Senior civil servant who was right-hand man to Gordon Brown at the Treasury and David Cameron at No 10". independent.co.uk/. 27 November 2015.
  9. "Autumn Statement and Spending Review 2015: George Osborne scraps tax credit cuts - live". Telegraph.co.uk. 25 November 2015.
  10. "Chris Martin Memorial Service". The Times. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  11. "Chris Martin". The Times. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  12. "PM statement on the death of his Principal Private Secretary Chris Martin - Press releases - GOV.UK". gov.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
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