Gray was embroiled in controversy recently after it was leaked that she earns more than the Prime Minister (£170,000 compared to £166,000), a seemingly foolish choice which could’ve been avoided by taking a proportionally small £5,000 pay cut. She was also accused of accepting lavish clothing gifts from Labour Lord Waheed Ali, a criticism that has been levied across many senior members of the Labour party including Starmer himself. These leaks came from high-level special advisers, likely due to discontent that has brewed following pay cuts and a lack of contracts offered post-election success.
The un-tenability of her position was further cemented by the well-known animosity between her and Simon Case, who was previously the most senior civil servant and is famous after the revelation in the COVID inquiry that he openly criticised the Conservative government. He was forced out of his position by Keir Starmer, citing ‘health reasons’ for his departure. However, Gray’s fate was sealed. The writing was on the wall when she didn’t appear at the Labour party conference in late September, in direct contrast to last year where she was seen stood directly next to Starmer.
Upon her resignation, Gray described it as the right choice as she “risked becoming a distraction”. She has been succeeded by Morgan McSweeney, formerly Labour’s Chief Adviser, who was tasked with masterminding Labour's general election campaign. She has now assumed the role of the Prime Minister’s Envoy for nations and regions, a vaguely worded role (likely by design), where she is expected to remain in close correspondence with Starmer. Her reassignment is a part of a broader reshuffle following ministerial criticisms of the new government’s communication strategy.
In short, she gets stuff done and will likely continue to wield a position of great influence within the current Labour government.
Despite falling into public disrepute, Sue Gray is still a highly competent public administrator which is reflected in her distinguished professional portfolio. She became a household name following her investigative efforts in the Party-Gate inquiry, contributing to numerous Conservative MPs and cabinet members' demands for Boris Johnson’s resignation. She also previously held the role of Second Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office, the second most senior role in the Civil Service. Lord Gavin Barwell who previously had worked with Gray when he was Chief of Staff during Theresa May’s government, described her as “dedicated” and a “great public servant”. However, he agreed that she made the “right judgement” by stepping down.
Gray is an extremely capable and pragmatic public servant, acting as a “calming influence” within the government according to a nameless cabinet minister. They described her as a master of knowing “which buttons to press” by leveraging her extensive knowledge of the Civil Service to utilise it’s many apparatuses to implement and realise policy. In short, she gets stuff done and will likely continue to wield a position of great influence within the current Labour government.