Sir Keir Starmer has reorganized his Number 10 team following Sue Gray’s resignation as chief of staff. Gray stepped down on Sunday, expressing concerns that the ongoing questions surrounding her role were causing distractions. With Parliament set to resume after a conference recess filled with controversies over Gray’s salary and perks for ministers, the reshuffle comes less than 100 days since Labour’s electoral victory. Gray will now work with the Prime Minister alongside leaders of devolved nations and regional mayors, while Morgan McSweeney, who led Labour’s election campaign, will take over as chief of staff.
Vidhya Alakeson, the political director at Number 10, and Jill Cuthbertson, former director of government relations under Downing Street, have been appointed as deputy chiefs of staff. James Lyons, a former journalist joining from TikTok, will head a new strategic communications team. Nin Pandit, previously in charge of the Downing Street policy unit, will serve as the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary. Meanwhile, Gray, the author of the partygate report, will now serve as the Prime Minister’s envoy for regions and nations.
In a statement, Gray stated that the intense commentary on her position risked diverting attention from the government’s important work. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as chief of staff and pledged continued support in her new role. Sir Keir thanked Gray for her contributions and highlighted her role in strengthening the government’s relations with regions and nations.
Gray, a long-serving civil servant before joining Sir Keir’s team in 2023, gained prominence in 2021 when tasked with investigating lockdown breaches in Downing Street. Following Labour’s electoral success in July, reports of tensions and leaks about Gray’s salary surfaced, culminating in her resignation. The Conservative Party described Gray’s resignation as indicative of chaos within the Labour government, with leadership contenders criticising Starmer’s handling of the situation.
The departure of Sue Gray as chief of staff has been met with criticism from various quarters, with concerns raised about the stability of Sir Keir Starmer’s government. Despite the challenges, Starmer remains committed to leading the government and navigating through the changes in his team as Parliament resumes its sessions.