Brown ally given top treasury job
One of the chancellor’s favoured aides has been appointed the new permanent secretary to the Treasury.
The prime minister announced today that Nicholas Macpherson would fill the post. He replaces Gus O’Donnell, another close Brown ally, who left the position to become head of the civil service.
Mr Macpherson, 46, is closely associated with a number of the chancellor’s flagship policies such as the tax credit system.
An Eton and Oxford educated man, Mr Macpherson worked as an economist at the CBI and the accountancy firm Peat-Marwick before joining the Treasury in 1985. He became principal private secretary to Tory chancellor Ken Clarke in 1993.
Welcoming the appointment, Mr Brown said Mr Macpherson would bring a “wealth of experience” to the post.
“It is an honour and privilege to succeed Sir Gus O’Donnell. I want to build on what he has achieved over the past three years,” Mr Macpherson said.
