Sue Gray quits as Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff
Sue Gray has quit her role as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff, saying she "risked becoming a distraction".
She had been caught up in rows over pay, News revealed her salary was higher than Sir Keir's, and donations from Lord Waheed Alli.
A Downing Street spokeswoman confirmed Ms Gray, who became a household name as the Partygate investigator, was taking up a new role as the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions.
Labour said Ms Gray would be replaced by Morgan McSweeney, who was previously chief adviser to the prime minister and masterminded Labour’s general election campaign.
Ms Gray said it had been an honour to "play my part in the delivery of a Labour government" as Sir Keir's chief of staff, both in opposition and in No 10.
"However 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.
"It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside, and I look forward to continuing to support the prime minister in my new role."
Thanking Ms Gray for her work, Sir Keir said he was "delighted" she would stay by his side in her new role, and added the shake-up showed his "determination to deliver".
Defence Secretary John Healey tol Breakfast that Ms Gray herself said she had become a distraction to the government's work and “that’s why she stepped aside”.
He said it was not the first time the centre of government had become "the lightning conductor for wider criticism”.
“In the end people understand government is hard. What they judge governments by is what they do and not what they say," Healey added.
Ms Gray had been subject to intense internal briefings and criticism in a government yet to reach its first 100 days in office.
It was that level of dysfunction that made it clear to Sir Keir that something needed to shift.
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