British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reaction to his meeting with Secretary of Defense John Healy and Member of the House of Lords George Robertson at 10 Downing Street in London, England, on July 16, 2024.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray resigned on Sunday following rumors of tensions within her advisory team that have cast a shadow over the British government just over three months after her landslide election victory.
Mr Gray, a former senior civil servant, was the subject of leaks to the media about his pay last month, with some officials speaking anonymously to the media, blaming Mr Starmer for his difficult start to Downing Street.
“In recent weeks, it has become clear that the harsh comments surrounding my position risked detracting from the government’s important change efforts,” Gray said in a statement.
Mr Starmer led Labor to a landslide victory in July, promising discipline and change after 14 years of Conservative government. But his tenure has already been plagued by criticism of free gifts from wealthy donors that he and other Labor politicians have received.
Mr Starmer has repaid gifts worth thousands of pounds, his office has revealed. said last weekBut the numbers are politically damaging at a time when his government is cutting funding for utility bills for millions of pensioners.
Mr Gray will take up his new post as Mr Starmer’s special envoy for regional and national affairs, Downing Street said.
She will be replaced by Morgan McSweeney, who previously served as chief adviser to the prime minister, the newspaper said.
Mr Gray was hired by Mr Starmer in 2023 when Labor was in opposition. The appointment was thought to be controversial because he had led a government inquiry into Downing Street’s party in 2022 when Conservative Boris Johnson was prime minister. Mr Johnson will leave Downing Street in 2023.
Mr Starmer announced other changes to his advisory team and the creation of a new strategic communications team led by James Lyons, a former senior journalist at a British newspaper.
Mr Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves have a big month ahead of them as they unveil their first tax and spending plans of the year. Budget statement for October 30th.
The Conservatives said Starmer’s government had been “thrown into disarray”, first by criticism of free gifts and then by Mr Gray’s resignation.
A party spokesperson said: “Sue Gray was brought in to deliver programs for government, but all we’ve seen in that time is self-service government.”
