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Sir Keir Starmer has conducted a massive shake-up of his misfiring Number 10 team, with Sue Gray, his controversial chief of staff, forced to quit her post after only three months in Downing Street.
Gray’s departure, following weeks of internal criticism of her performance and a power struggle behind the scenes, came as Starmer attempted to restore order to his administration in the week he marks 100 days in office.
Gray, a former civil servant who led a review into Covid parties during Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister, will now take a part-time role as a link between Starmer and the leaders of the UK’s devolved nations and regions.
“In recent weeks it has become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change,” she said on Sunday. “It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside.”
Starmer’s allies declined to say whether Gray, who earned £170,000 a year as chief of staff, would be paid in the new advisory role. “It’s logical to assume that pay will reflect the new role,” said one.
She is replaced as chief of staff by Morgan McSweeney, who oversaw Labour’s successful election campaign and had acted as chief adviser to Starmer.
Gray and McSweeney, according to Labour aides, were often at loggerheads. Although they denied falling out, there was an increasingly acrimonious atmosphere at the heart of government.
Her departure cleared the way for Starmer to announce a big shake-up of his team, with extra personnel deployed to the centre of his operation and to his media team, which has been overwhelmed in recent weeks by the furore over “freebie” gifts to Starmer and senior ministers.
James Lyons, a former NHS director of communications and political journalist, will leave his current job at TikTok to lead a new strategic communications team.
Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson have been promoted to deputy chiefs of staff, working with McSweeney. Gray was sometimes accused by Labour insiders of micromanaging and refusing to share her work.
Alakeson is currently the political director at Number 10 and she was previously director of external relations for the Labour party. Cuthbertson was director of Starmer’s office in opposition, overseeing events and visits.
Meanwhile, Nin Pandit has been appointed principal private secretary to the prime minister, a key civil service role in Number 10. She was director of the Downing Street policy unit from November 2022.
Starmer said: “I’m really pleased to be able to bring in such talented and experienced individuals into my team. This shows my absolute determination to deliver the change the country voted for.”
Another major change of personnel is expected to take place in early 2025 when Simon Case is replaced as cabinet secretary. A competition for that crucial role has only just opened.
Critics of the prime minister, including the Conservatives, demanded to know why Starmer has taken so long to get a grip of an administration that has made such a stumbling start.
However, much of the focus will be on the departure as chief of staff of Gray, a controversial figure ever since she ran the probe into the Partygate scandal and then quit the civil service in 2023 to join Starmer in opposition.
A Conservative spokesman said: “In fewer than 100 days Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has been thrown into chaos.
“Sue Gray was brought in to deliver a programme for government and all we’ve seen in that time is a government of self-service. The only question that remains is who will run the country now?”
