Sue Gray has resigned from her position as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, and has instead been appointed as the prime minister’s envoy for nations and regions.
Morgan McSweeney, the party’s former campaign director who masterminded July’s election landslide, will replace her as the prime minister’s chief of staff.
Ms Gray revealed to support the Prime Minister in her new role while stating the reasons for quitting her previous post: ” it’s an honour to take on the role of chief of staff”, it had become clear that “intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change”.
“It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside, and I look forward to continuing to support the prime minister in my new role.”
Keir acknowledged Gray’s work for the political party and effort she made in supporting the governmental work, according to the Prime Minister: “all the support she has given me, both in opposition and government and her work to prepare us for government and get us started on our programme of change.
“Sue has played a vital role in strengthening our relations with the regions and nations. I am delighted that she will continue to support that work,” he added.
Ms Gray’s resignation follows weeks of speculation about her role and reports of a power struggle at the heart of government.
Tensions over Ms Gray’s role reached a crescendo when her salary was revealed to be higher than Keir and donations from Lord Waheed Alli. (£170,000 – £3,000) by BBC
The broadcaster also reported more junior staff were disgruntled they were not being paid more than what they received when Labour was in opposition – despite now occupying more senior government roles.
A Conservative Party spokesperson described the latest moves in Downing Street as “chaos” and questioned who was running the country.
“In fewer than 100 days Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has been thrown into chaos – he has lost his chief of staff who has been at the centre of the scandal the Labour Party has been engulfed by,” they said.