Keir Starmer's top aide Sue Gray paid more than the PM

The chief of staff for Sir Keir Starmer received a salary increase following the election, and as a result, her earnings now exceed those of the prime minister.

The BBC has learned that Sue Gray requested and received a salary of £170,000, which is £3,000 higher than the Prime Minister's and surpasses that of any cabinet minister or her Conservative predecessor.

According to a source who spoke to the BBC, it was proposed that she could consider asking for a few thousand pounds less than the prime minister to steer clear of this situation. However, she chose not to accept that suggestion.

A government official familiar with Ms. Gray stated that this assertion is "completely false" and emphasized that she was "not involved at all in any decisions regarding her salary."

The decision has sparked a controversy within the government regarding Ms. Gray. Her investigation, conducted as a senior civil servant, looked into gatherings in Downing Street during the pandemic and played a significant role in Boris Johnson's resignation.

She subsequently took on a role as a consultant for the Labour Party.

As the chief of staff to the prime minister, she has a diverse range of responsibilities. These include managing who can meet with the PM and assisting in the implementation of government policies.

Her Conservative predecessor, now known as Lord Booth Smith, earned a salary at the top range of the highest pay band for special advisers, between £140,000 and £145,000 annually, during his time working under Rishi Sunak.

Ms. Gray's salary increase follows the prime minister's approval of a new salary structure for special advisers soon after he assumed office.

The government states that the officials, not Ms. Gray, were responsible for the rebanding, and her salary does not fall within the highest tier for special advisers.

Reports of Ms. Gray’s salary increase, shared with the BBC by several sources within Whitehall, add to a series of leaks regarding her that suggest there are tense dynamics among the highest levels of government, only a few months into Labour's time in power.

One insider told the BBC, "This highlights the chaotic management at No10 – there's a lack of political insight, and Sue has taken on an increasingly prominent role, acting as if she is the deputy prime minister, which is reflected in her salary. Meanwhile, the prime minister seems to have no other perspectives to consider as everything is being filtered through Sue."

The prime minister's salary is £166,786.

A frustrated government source called Ms. Gray's salary "the largest salary ever paid to a special adviser."

Some government officials are fervently supporting Ms. Gray, arguing that there is an unjust and very personal effort targeting her that is completely unwarranted.

A government official stated that "any inquiries should focus on the procedure rather than on a specific person."

When questioned about Ms. Gray earning a higher salary than the Prime Minister, Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded, "We are fortunate to have Sue on our team."

A different minister, who requested to remain unnamed, shared with the BBC: "Sue has put in a tremendous effort to get Labour ready for government and is now demonstrating her usual determination to ensure Whitehall focuses on Labour's key goals."

"She won’t get sidetracked; she'll continue with her usual approach, concentrating on bringing about the change that the British public chose."

The controversy surrounding Ms. Gray's salary has caused a significant stir within the government, as some other advisers feel they are not being compensated fairly.

Each cabinet minister has a minimum of two special advisors, many of whom previously collaborated with them while they were in the opposition.

After that, the Labour Party compensated them.

Many anticipated salary increases when they joined the government, only to find out that their pay would actually be lower.

Several disheartened advisers are placing the blame directly on Ms. Gray, while others argue that salary issues should be addressed by civil servants themselves.

Most members of the committee in Whitehall that oversees the salaries and working conditions of special advisers are civil servants, but Ms. Gray is also a part of it.

"It's unbelievable," expressed a very upset adviser to the BBC. "I'm putting in more effort than ever in a more significant role, yet they expect to compensate me less than the Labour Party did when it was struggling financially."

These frustrations aren't limited to just junior advisors.

One report indicated that the prime minister's communications chief, Matthew Doyle, was first proposed a pay of £110,000, which is much lower than what Ms. Gray was earning.

This amount was eventually increased to £140,000, aligning it with the salaries of several of his predecessors in the same role.

There's no indication that anyone was upset about Doyle's salary within the organization.

Numerous special advisers spent weeks without seeing a draft of their employment contract. As a result, when they finally found out their salary, they had little option but to agree to it.

Once more, Ms. Gray faced significant criticism for the holdup in distributing the official contracts.

When Ms. Gray took on the role of chief of staff for Starmer in 2023, her main responsibility was to help Labour get ready for governing.

Special advisers believe that the debate surrounding their pay reflects a lack of thoroughness in the tasks that were completed.

"If you happen to come across any signs of our plans for the government, please inform me," one advisor mentioned.

Whenever a new administration comes into power, a large number of new special advisors typically join simultaneously.

To guarantee that everyone received their payments without delay, they were placed on a temporary salary while the new pay scales were being finalized.

Some people wondered why it took so long for the first set of ministerial appointments that Ms. Gray managed to be finalized, especially since the chief of staff had several months to prepare for it.

The position of minister for the Middle East was filled by Hamish Falconer on July 18, which was two weeks following the general election.

Subsequent Conservative administrations looked into boosting the salaries of special advisers but ultimately decided against it. As one Tory source expressed, it felt politically risky to raise their pay while many households were facing financial difficulties.

It has been reported that during the tenures of both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, plans for raising taxes were thoroughly developed but ultimately turned down because they were considered unjustifiable.

Current government officials contend that the salaries of special advisers have fallen significantly behind those of their counterparts in Whitehall and should be increased.

However, some people still believe that Ms. Gray's salary is too high.

A representative from the Cabinet Office informed the BBC that it's incorrect to claim that political appointees have independently decided on their salary levels or set their own pay.

Decisions regarding the salaries of special advisers are determined by officials rather than political appointees. As publicly stated, special advisers do not have the authority to spend public money or manage budgets.

The Conservatives claimed that the Labour party needed to respond to ten inquiries, one of which was whether the prime minister personally approved Ms. Gray's new salary and the raise in the limit for the highest pay bracket.

They also inquired about the existence of a committee that determines how much special advisers are paid, and whether Ms. Gray is part of it. Additionally, they want to know what influence she had in deciding her own salary and making adjustments to pay scales.

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