Who is Sue Gray? Partygate investigator turned Labour chief of staff quits

‘Waiting for Sue Gray’ became thing of a mantra for galore politicians towards the extremity of Boris Johnson’s clip successful the apical job.

Then moving arsenic a elder civilian servant, Sue Gray’s findings connected Partygate were hugely anticipated and, pursuing a Met Police probe into Downing Street events during 2020 and 2021 erstwhile lockdown rules acceptable by the Government were successful place, Ms Gray’s afloat damning study was yet released.

Following work of the report, Ms Gray was approached by Kier Starmer- past the person of the opposition- to go his main of unit successful March 2023, and courted contention aft being accused of failing to disclose the discussions successful advance.

Known for her some her ruthless ratio and discretion erstwhile moving the Cabinet Office, Gray has been described arsenic some ‘the pistillate who runs the country’ and ‘deputy God’ by MPs from some large parties.

But aft uncovering herself mired successful expanding amounts of contention since entering goverment with Labour pursuing revelations she earned a higher wage than the PM, Ms Gray contiguous announced her resignation arsenic Starmer’s main of unit aft claiming her presumption had go ‘a distraction’.

Here’s each you request to cognize astir the emergence and autumn of 1 of the astir almighty figures successful the British establishment.

Who is Sue Gray?

Throughout her vocation successful the civilian service, Sue Gray has worked successful a assortment of authorities departments including Transport, Health, and the DWP.

Ms Gray took her archetypal occupation successful the Cabinet Office successful the precocious 1990s, aft taking a ‘career break’ wherever she bought and ran a pub successful Newry, Northern Ireland during the tallness of the Troubles.

She would spell connected to enactment arsenic the Director General of Propriety and Ethics from 2012 to 2018 earlier becoming Second Permanent Secretary astatine the Cabinet Office from 2021 to 2023 – a relation that reports to the UK’s astir elder civilian servant, Simon Case.

Her past acquisition includes an probe of elder authorities curate Damian Green successful 2017, which prompted his resignation, and high-profile inquiries into erstwhile defence secretary Liam Fox and ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell over ‘plebgate’ successful 2012.

In a 2017 interview, erstwhile Cabinet peculiar advisor Polly Mackenzie told the BBC ‘Sue has been determination for truthful long, she knows everything that anybody has ever done wrong,’ and that she was notorious for not leaving a insubstantial way erstwhile dealing with ministerial affairs. 

Why was her determination to Labour controversial?

From the infinitesimal she announced her resignation from the civilian work to articulation Starmer’s team, Sue Gray has courted controversy, which yet led to her resignation.

At the clip of her appointment, a root was quoted arsenic saying: ‘[Sue Gray] knows however Number 10 works and she’s precise fashionable with civilian servants.’

However, each civilian servants are expected to stay impartial and are to assistance with the moving of authorities nether immoderate elected administration, nary substance what enactment is successful charge.

It was suggested that by joining Labour and failing to disclose her intentions, Gray had go embrioled successful a struggle of interests.

Several Tory sources utilized the described the determination arsenic ‘seriously atrocious for the estimation of the civilian service’ and she became taxable to an probe by the Advisory Committee connected Business Appointments (ACOBA), which is successful complaint of overseeing caller jobs for erstwhile ministers and elder civilian servants. She was yet cleared.

Why has Sue Gray resigned?

The partygate study writer has been a high-profile fig successful Sir Keir’s apical squad since she was appointed arsenic main portion Labour were successful absorption past year.

But successful caller weeks, Number 10 has been plagued by reports of infighting, arsenic rows implicit Ms Gray’s wage and Government freebies person been among those that person dominated the headlines.

Last month, it was leaked to the BBC that Ms Gray was earning much than the Prime Minister, amid a bid of briefings against her arsenic main of staff.

The broadcaster was told that Ms Gray was earning £170,000, which would enactment her connected £3,000 much than Sir Keir.

It comes little than 100 days since Sir Keir walked into Downing Street arsenic Prime Minister, and the Conservatives person described the concern arsenic ‘chaos’.

A Tory Party spokesperson said: ‘In less than 100 days, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government has been thrown into chaos – helium has mislaid his main of unit who has been astatine the centre of the ungraded the Labour Party has been engulfed by.

‘Sue Gray was brought successful to present a programme for authorities and each we’ve seen successful that clip is simply a authorities of self-service.’

In her resignation letter,Ms Gray sai d: ‘It has been an honour to instrumentality connected the relation of main of staff, and to play my portion successful the transportation of a Labour Government.

‘Throughout my career, my archetypal involvement has ever been nationalist service.

‘However, successful caller weeks it has go wide to maine that aggravated commentary astir my presumption risked becoming a distraction to the Government’s captious enactment of change.

‘It is for that crushed I person chosen to basal aside, and I look guardant to continuing to enactment the Prime Minister successful my caller role.’

Sir Keir thanked Ms Gray for ‘all the enactment she has fixed me, some successful absorption and government, and her enactment to hole america for authorities and get america started connected our programme of change’.

‘Sue has played a captious relation successful strengthening our relations with the regions and nations. I americium delighted that she volition proceed to enactment that work,’ helium added.

Who volition regenerate her arsenic Starmer’s Chief of Staff?

Ms Gray’s departure has triggered a wider reshuffle of the Downing Street operation. She volition beryllium replaced arsenic main of unit by Morgan McSweeney, 1 of Starmer’s closest allies who has been engaged successful a powerfulness conflict with Ms Gray successful caller months.

Political manager astatine Number 10 Vidhya Alakeson and manager of authorities relations Jill Cuthbertson person besides been promoted to lawman chiefs of staff.

Nin Pandit, manager of the Downing Street Policy Unit, has been appointed parliamentary backstage caput to the Prime Minister, and erstwhile writer James Lyons volition articulation to caput up a caller strategical communications team, Downing Street said.

The government’s database of planned announcements, known internally arsenic ‘the grid’, volition besides present beryllium nether the power of the No10 communications squad alternatively of Ms Gray, which is wherever immoderate judge it should person ever been.

Following her resignation, a Downing St spokesperson confirmed Ms Gray is to instrumentality up a caller relation arsenic the PM’s envoy for nations and regions.

But the determination has already courted contention among successful Wales, with Plaid Cymru person Rhun ap Iorwerth describing thr assignment arsenic ‘insulting’.

Reacting to the quality connected Twitter, Iopwerth said: ‘Three months into Keir Starmer’s premiership, it’s wide helium cares small astir Wales.

‘Labour promised change, but removing Tory chaos and replacing it with a antithetic benignant of Labour chaos inactive means chaos.

‘Appointing an Envoy for the Nations and Regions smacks of a Prime Minister determined to ore his efforts connected London and the southbound east, leaving the remainder to the unusual sojourn and photo-op by a elder authoritative whenever it’s electorally convenient.

MORE : Publish your Sue Gray texts, Keir Starmer told

MORE : Boris says it is ‘surreal’ partygate researcher Sue Gray volition enactment for Labour

MORE : Student fined £10,000 for lockdown enactment ‘can’t carnivore to deliberation astir Partygate’

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