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Sue Gray has resigned as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, it has been announced today, and will take up a new role in government.
The outgoing chief of staff said her decision to step down came as a result of “intense commentary” around her position, admitting it risked becoming a “distraction to the government’s vital work of change”.
“Throughout my career my first interest has always been public service”, Ms Gray added.
This comes after weeks of speculation around tensions between the former chief of staff and Sir Keir’s director of political strategy Morgan McSweeney, who has since been parachuted in to replace Ms Gray.
Earlier this month, Ms Gray was the subject of criticism after it emerged she was paid £3,000 more than the prime minister.
In September, Labour figures condemned the party’s preparations for government, as well as Ms Gray’s outsized influence as chief of staff.
Mr McSweeney will take over as Sir Keir’s chief of staff, Downing Street confirmed today, as part of a wider attempt by the prime minister to bolster his operation in No 10.
In a statement, the prime minister thanked Ms Gray for her work to “prepare us for government and get us started on our programme of change.”
She has been appointed as the prime minister’s envoy for nations and regions, an advisory role to help the government “develop and maintain strong relations between central government and other devolved authorities”.
In a statement, she said: “After leading the Labour party’s preparation for government and kickstarting work on our programme for change, I am looking forward to drawing on my experience to support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to help deliver the government’s objectives across the nations and regions of the UK.”
She said it had been an honour to “play my part in the delivery of a Labour government” in her role as chief as staff.
The Conservative Party said the changes are evidence that Sir Keir’s government has been “thrown into chaos” in fewer than 100 days, adding: “He has lost his Chief of Staff who has been at the centre of the scandal the Labour Party has been engulfed by.
“Sue Gray was brought into deliver a programme for government and all we’ve seen in that time is a government of self-service. The only question that remains is who will run the country now?”
This is a breaking story, more to follow…
Source: independent.co.uk
