Sue Gray declines appointment as prime minister’s nations and regions envoy

Downing Street has confirmed that Sue Gray will not assume her position as the prime minister’s envoy to the nations and regions. Her initial appointment to this newly-established role followed her departure last month as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, a move she explained by stating she “risked becoming a distraction”. The government had previously indicated that Ms. Gray was taking a brief hiatus before commencing her new role. However, a No 10 spokeswoman stated that Ms. Gray had “now decided not to take it up.” This development was initially reported by the Financial Times and the Guardian. The BBC has received information suggesting that the Prime Minister opted to retract Ms. Gray’s job offer, and that the cabinet secretary, who holds the position of the country’s most senior civil servant, communicated this confirmation to her. While other government figures do not dispute this sequence of events, the BBC has been informed that Ms. Gray maintains it was her choice and that she never discussed it directly with Sir Keir. A friend of Ms. Gray commented: “Sue has taken a decision not to take the role. She’s going to focus on other things.” They further added: “She’s taken time to think about it properly, talking to stakeholders, but ultimately she’s decided she doesn’t want to do it.” A source from Downing Street stated: “We think she has made the right decision.” It seems the Prime Minister had become impatient with Ms. Gray’s delay in commencing the paid, part-time position, which she had been moved into upon her departure from Downing Street. With 38 days having passed since the public announcement of her job offer, it had been evident for some time that she was disinclined to accept it. An insider remarked: “We all thought [the envoy role] was a bad idea that would lead to endless drama and probably another resignation down the line.” A No 10 spokeswoman indicated there were “no immediate plans” to name a new envoy for the nations and regions, but affirmed the role would remain “under review.” The spokeswoman also noted that Ms. Gray had been “uniquely placed” for the position, yet emphasized that collaboration with the nations and regions continues to be a “huge priority” for the government. Downing Street had previously described the position as “vital.” Nevertheless, specific details regarding Ms. Gray’s new responsibilities had not been released, and she did not participate in the inaugural meeting of a new Council of Nations and Regions last month. Ms. Gray’s tenure as the Prime Minister’s chief of staff lasted only three months, concluding after weeks of adverse media attention and negative briefings, including a dispute concerning her salary. Morgan McSweeney succeeded her, having reportedly had disagreements with Ms. Gray during his prior capacity as Sir Keir’s chief political adviser. Ms. Gray, widely recognized for spearheading the government’s internal investigation into the Partygate scandal, transitioned from the civil service to serve as a senior adviser to Sir Keir last year. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Further information on their approach to external linking can be accessed.