David Cameron has paid an emotional tribute to his principal private secretary, Chris Martin, who died of cancer on Wednesday morning.
Speaking before prime minister’s question time in parliament, Cameron said Martin was “someone between a father and a brother” to members of the “No 10 family”, and that he was one of the most loyal, hardworking and dedicated public servants he had worked with.
“Everyone in this house and many people watching at home know from [the television programme] Yes, Prime Minister the central role that Bernard, the prime minister’s principal PPS, plays in the life of the prime minister and No 10 Downing Street,” Cameron said.
“Well, this morning my Bernard, my principal private secretary, died of cancer. Chris Martin was only 42. He was one of the most loyal, hardworking, dedicated public servants that I’ve ever come across.
“I’ve no idea what his politics were, but he would go to the ends of the earth and back again for his prime minister, for No 10 and for the team he worked for.”
Martin started his career in the civil service after graduating with a degree in politics from the University of Bristol in 1996. He rose to become the press secretary to the chancellor of the exchequer – first Gordon Brown, then Alistair Darling – between April 2006 and November 2007.
He joined the Cabinet Office in January 2010, where he became the second most powerful official in No 10, deputy to the cabinet secretary, Jeremy Heywood.
Cameron said: “Today we are leaving the seat in the officials box, where he used to sit, empty as a mark of respect to him. We think of his wife, Zoe, his family, the wider No 10 family – because it is a bit like a family, and we feel we’ve lost someone between a father and a brother to all of us – and whatever happens we’ll never forget him.”
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, said Martin had played a valuable role when Labour was in power. Other leading Labour figures including Yvette Cooper and John Healey also paid tribute.
Really glad PM gave moving tribute to Chris Martin. Lovely man and brilliant civil servant. Will be badly missed
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) November 25, 2015
Chris Martin was a model modern mandarin - served us in Labour Treasury with same full commitment as PM said in No10 https://t.co/v06eFI8cqG
— John Healey MP (@JohnHealey_MP) November 25, 2015
