Partygate probe chief Sue Gray offered top job

Senior civil servant Sue Gray, who investigated lockdown gatherings in Downing Street, has been offered a job as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.

A Labour spokesman said Sir Keir was “delighted” that “she hopes to accept the role subject to the normal procedures”.

But allies of Boris Johnson reacted with anger to the news.

Former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said Ms Gray’s Partygate conclusions now looked “like a left-wing stitch up”.

“So much for an impartial Civil Service, the Gray report now looks like a left-wing stitch up against a Tory prime minister,” the former business secretary and Brexit opportunities minister tweeted.

Ms Gray herself has yet to comment.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Sue Gray has resigned from the post of Second Permanent Secretary in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). This was accepted by the department Permanent Secretary and Cabinet Secretary with immediate effect.

“We will not be commenting further on individual personnel matters. We are reviewing the circumstances under which she resigned.”

Downing Street said it would not comment further on an “individual personal matter”.

Ms Gray’s report on the Partygate scandal last year contributed to Boris Johnson’s downfall, prompting numerous Conservative MPs to call on the then-prime minister to resign.

She led the civil service investigation into allegations of coronavirus rule-breaking at No 10 in December 2021, going from an influential but little-known arbiter of conduct in government to a household name seen as holding Mr Johnson’s fate in her hands.

Hearings in an inquiry by the Commons Privileges Committee into opposition claims Mr Johnson misled MPs about what he knew about the lockdown gatherings in government buildings are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

The inquiry was set up by MPs last April.

Labour has had a vacancy for Sir Keir’s chief of staff for some time.

Other key allies of Mr Johnson have also been quick to comment.

Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries tweeted that Ms Gray’s reported move to Sir Keir’s office was “not surprising”.

“Whilst writing report, she used QC who tweeted out pro Labour anti gov [government] tweets whilst Alistair Campbell heaped praise upon her. Her comms [communications] assistant briefed against Johnson from day 1.

“The Gray report was a stitch up of PM and CSs [civil servants],” she said.

Under the terms of Ms Gray’s civil service contract, her appointment to a senior Labour role would be checked by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba).

But its rulings are not legally binding.

Asked about the speculation surrounding Ms Gray’s future, the prime minister’s spokesman said Acoba would review any new job against the government’s business appointment rules.

“And then obviously the recommendations are then made to the relevant department or minister depending on who they are,” he said.

As the levelling up secretary, Michael Gove was Ms Gray’s boss.

Reports /TrainViral/