A cabinet minister has rejected the view that the government is already at “crisis point” after Sue Gray left her role as No 10 chief of staff.
John Healey, the defence secretary, praised Gray as having a “great talent” for “bringing people together” and described her as someone who “raises the standards of those around her”.
It was announced that Gray had resigned as the prime minister’s chief of staff on Sunday after becoming a “distraction” to the work of government.
In a statement, the former civil servant noted the “intense commentary around my position”, naming that as a driving reason she had chosen to stand aside.
Leaving her No 10 role, Gray was appointed as the prime minister’s new envoy for regions and nations in what amounts to a significant demotion.
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In Gray’s stead, Labour election guru Morgan McSweeney has been appointed as the prime minister’s new chief of staff.
Asked how he would characterise the Labour administration and whether it was at “crisis point” following Gray’s departure, Healey told LBC News on Monday morning that the government is “getting on with the job.”
Rejecting the view of Labour as in “crisis”, he also refused to be drawn on whether Gray’s new role as envoy to the regions and nations was salaried or whether she would be elevated to the House of Lords.
“None of those are decisions for me”, he said.
Asked whether her new position was paid, Healey continued: “She has this great talent, Sue Gray, to bring people together, she’s a natural team player and she raises the standards of those around her.”
After the news broke of Gray’s departure on Sunday, the Conservative Party accused Downing Street of descending into “chaos.”
“In fewer than 100 days Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has been thrown into chaos”, a spokesperson said. “He has lost his Chief of Staff who has been at the centre of the scandal the Labour Party has been engulfed by.
“Sue Gray was brought into 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?”
Gray resigned on Sunday after weeks of hostile and vituperative briefings, including over her salary which the BBC revealed to be £3,000 more than the prime minister.
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on X/Twitter here.
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