Sue Gray’s £170,000 pay prompts fury among Labour advisers

Sue Gray will earn a salary of £170,000 as chief of staff for Keir Starmer, which is higher than what the prime minister makes. This decision has angered some Labour members who have accepted lower salaries since joining the government.

Gray received a salary increase following the election, even though other political advisors expressed dissatisfaction over their own pay cuts compared to what they earned at the Labour party.

The BBC was the first to reveal that Gray received £3,000 above Starmer's salary, which stands at £166,786.

A source informed the news outlet: "It was proposed that she could consider asking for a few thousand pounds less than what the prime minister is receiving to steer clear of this situation. She chose not to."

Government officials, however, challenged that statement. One representative stated, "This accusation is completely false. Sue Gray did not participate in any decision regarding her salary. She was notified of her pay only after it had been determined."

The disclosure sparked a strong reaction from Labour advisers, several of whom hold Gray responsible for limitations on salary and working conditions for special advisers. In response to these terms, which mandate three-month probation periods, some have even formed unions.

Following the reveal of Gray's salary, one member of the Labour party expressed that it was "difficult to describe the level of outrage this has caused." They noted that the news left their colleagues in shock, leading to audible gasps in the room.

Another source mentioned that Gray had closely overseen each appointment of special advisers, and many criticized her for their salaries being lower than those of aides from the Conservative period.

Earlier this month, it came to light that special advisers were forming a union due to worries about their salaries and working conditions. Reports indicated that several aides felt Gray was negatively impacting morale among their colleagues because of the pay disparity between the two administrations.

Conservatives quickly reacted to the announcement, with Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick commenting on X: “Sue Gray is getting a £20,000 annual salary increase, while some pensioners earning just £13,000 a year face cuts of £600. Starmer’s hypocrisy is glaring.”

According to available information on past administrations, Gray's salary surpasses that of any other special adviser. Liam Booth-Smith, who was the chief of staff for Rishi Sunak before her, earned between £140,000 and £145,000 annually.

Gray accepted a position with Starmer after her time in the civil service at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, where she earned between £150,000 and £155,000. Soon after becoming Prime Minister, he approved a reassessment of the salary levels for special advisers.

Number 10 is expected to be questioned about who gave the green light for the increase in pay bands for the top special advisers. According to the BBC, a group of civil servants in Whitehall that oversees pay and conditions for special advisers included both Gray and Morgan McSweeney, the director of political strategy for Number 10, in their meetings. Government insiders stated that Gray was there solely to provide advice during those discussions.

The government did not provide specific information about individual salaries, but a representative from the Cabinet Office stated, “It’s incorrect to claim that political appointees have independently decided their salary ranges or set their own pay.”

"Decisions regarding the salaries of special advisers are made by officials, not by those in political positions. As previously stated, special advisers do not have the authority to approve spending of public money or manage budgets."

This week, Downing Street rejected claims of a "nest of vipers" at No 10 amid growing tensions between supporters of Gray and McSweeney's allies. Several high-ranking Labour members are expressing their frustration with Gray, believing that she is hindering access to the prime minister and causing delays in decision-making by ensuring that all matters pass through her first.

During the weekend, Starmer minimized the news regarding Gray, stating: “I won’t speak behind her back, nor will I comment on specific staff members, be it Sue Gray or anyone else on the team.”

"All I can say about the tales is that many of them are completely inaccurate."

A representative from Downing Street stated that Starmer was assured that Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, was not responsible for the leaks.