As members of parliament are ready to hear an update on the controversy surrounding Sue Gray’s selection as Sir Keir Starmer’s new chief of staff, Sir Keir Starmer has stated that he is “confident” that Sue Gray “hasn’t broken any of the rules” over the matter.
Today, the Cabinet Office is scheduled to provide the House of Commons with a written statement that will shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the former senior civil servant’s decision to quit her position at Whitehall in favor of a job with the Labour party.
We never spoke while she investigated Boris Johnson.
It is anticipated that the report will indicate that Ms. Gray engaged in covert communication with Sir Keir while she was working for the team at the Cabinet Office that was advising the investigation into the partygate scandal in the Commons.
A source close to Labour emphasized that the incoming chief of staff for the party had absolutely nothing to do with the investigation’s ongoing work while she was in communication with the party’s leader.
This morning, Sir Keir gave an interview to BBC Breakfast in which he said, “First of all, I had no discussions with her while she was investigating Boris Johnson at all.” There is no indication that anyone believes that to be the case, as far as I can tell.
It is my firm belief that she has not disobeyed any of the regulations. When a senior civil servant leaves their position in the government, there is usually a process that they have to go through before they may begin working in a different field. That is the procedure that she is currently undergoing, and it is entirely appropriate… In point of fact, there is not a whole lot of new information regarding this today.”