Cabinet Secretary

I just noticed this article about staffing problems at our Department of Treasury, which includes a complaint from a somewhat vaguely described British official, Gus O'Donnell:

"Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary for the British government, was quoted this week in British news reports saying it has been "unbelievably difficult" to talk to people at the U.S. Treasury: 'There is nobody there.' "

It bothers me when newspapers quote people without bothering to explain why they're important enough to listen to. In this case, we might as well be told that Gus O'Donnell is the grand olephaunt for the British government, for all the indication the article gives us that O'Donnell is in fact the head of the extremely powerful British civil service. If he's complaining, it's very unlikely to be nonsense.