Who is Sue Gray, Keir Starmer's top adviser?

Sue Gray, a former high-ranking government official known for her role in investigating the Partygate scandal, is once again in the spotlight. Recent news has emerged that she earns a higher salary than the Prime Minister, sparking new debates and controversies.

Ms. Gray's damning report about the gatherings held during lockdown at Downing Street led many Conservative MPs to urge Boris Johnson to step down, playing a significant role in his political demise in 2022.

When it became public the next year that Sir Keir Starmer had reached out to her for guidance on how Labour could transition from being in opposition to governing, several Conservative MPs were outraged and claimed that it weakened the credibility of her report.

With Labour now in power at No 10, his chief of staff has become one of the most influential figures in the government.

Ms. Gray has a broad responsibility that includes managing who has access to the prime minister and assisting in the implementation of the government's policies.

Since taking office at Downing Street alongside Sir Keir, she has faced a series of unflattering reports suggesting conflicts and disagreements with other high-ranking officials. This includes Labour's political strategy director, Morgan McSweeney, who played a key role in the party's election campaign, as well as Simon Case, the UK’s leading civil servant.

The prime minister stated that the majority of the reports are completely inaccurate.

Ms. Gray stepped down from her position in the civil service in March 2023. However, she had to wait until September to start her new job with Labour because the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which reviews the appointments of former ministers and senior officials, advised a six-month waiting period.

The former Conservative administration claimed that she violated civil service regulations by not disclosing her interactions with Labour regarding the job opportunity. Labour argued that all procedures were adhered to and dismissed the conclusion as a "political maneuver."

Ms. Gray had a wealth of experience in government, having been in the civil service since the 1970s. This background made her a valuable asset to Sir Keir and many others in his shadow cabinet, most of whom had never served as ministers.

"A Woman Named Sue"

In his memoir, former Liberal Democrat minister David Laws shares an experience where a colleague said to him, "It took me exactly two years to understand who truly holds power in Britain."

"The United Kingdom is essentially managed by a woman named Sue Gray, who leads the ethics team in the Cabinet Office. If she doesn't give her approval, things simply won't move forward."

Ms. Gray started her career in the civil service immediately after finishing school and gradually advanced to the Cabinet Office. There, she spent six years heading the government's Propriety and Ethics team, which offers guidance to various departments on matters related to standards.

Polly Mackenzie, who served as a special advisor in the Cabinet Office, mentioned in a 2017 interview with the BBC's Profile program: "Sue has been around for such a long time that she is aware of every mistake anyone has ever made."

Sue Gray Report / Cabinet Office / PA Wire

A picture shared alongside the Partygate report shows Mr. Johnson at a gathering held at No 10 Downing Street.

In 2017, a probe led by Sue Gray resulted in Damian Green, who was a top minister under Theresa May, resigning. He was found to have given "false" information regarding his knowledge of allegations that pornography had been discovered on his office computer back in 2008.

She also looked into allegations of sexual misconduct made by journalist Kate Maltby against the minister, concluding that her accusations were "believable."

In an interview with the BBC, Ms. Maltby expressed her admiration for Sue Gray, highlighting her strong sense of responsibility towards those who came forward with complaints. She noted Gray's commitment to hearing out junior staff and ensuring that higher-ups were held accountable.

"I saw her as genuinely principled in a manner that's rarely observed in Westminster."

Ms. Gray's understanding of the personal interests of ministers has reportedly been beneficial for prime ministers as they reorganize their teams.

Chris Cook, a former journalist with the BBC who currently writes for the news platform Tortoise, mentioned that one indication of an upcoming reorganization would be when the office furniture belonging to Sue Gray gets moved around.

After two decades, she took a temporary assignment away from the Cabinet Office to join the finance department of the Northern Ireland government.

When the opportunity to head the Northern Ireland civil service opened up, she submitted her application, but unfortunately, she was not selected.

Ms. Gray has dedicated a significant part of her career to working within the government offices in Whitehall.

In a rare move for someone who typically keeps to themselves, she participated in an interview with the BBC where she expressed her "disappointment" at not landing the top position. She also hinted that others might have viewed her as "too much of a challenger or a disruptor."

In 2021, she rejoined the Cabinet Office, taking charge of issues concerning the Union and constitutional matters.

Although she dedicated most of her professional life to civil service, in the late 1980s, she took some time off to manage a pub called the Cove Bar, located near Newry in County Down. She ran it with her husband, Bill Conlon, who is a country and western singer.

She shared with the BBC, "I enjoyed it immensely back then, but I wouldn't do it again."

In 2021, Ms. Gray rose to prominence when she was assigned the responsibility of looking into whether the government's Covid guidelines had been adhered to during the pandemic.

Her concluding report revealed that employees celebrated at Downing Street while much of the UK was under lockdown, and this was done with the consent of their superiors.

She stated that numerous events "ought not to have been permitted," and that the former Prime Minister Mr. Johnson "needs to take responsibility."