Sue Gray will not take up job as PM’s regions chief despite previously accepting

Ousted Downing Street aide Sue Gray will no longer take a job as the PM’s regions chief despite previously saying she had accepted the role.

Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff quit dramatically last month(OCT) after admitting “intense coverage” about her had become a “distraction”. At the time Ms Gray said: "I am pleased to have accepted a new role as the Prime Minister's envoy for the regions and nations.”

But on Tuesday Downing Street confirmed she had "decided not to take up the role" as envoy to the nations and regions. Asked whether the job offer was withdrawn or if Ms Gray walked away, a No10 spokeswoman said: "As we said at the time, the appointment had been agreed and you had the focus for the new role and the original statements from both the Prime Minister and Sue Gray.

"Subsequent to that, we confirmed that she was taking a break between roles and taking up duties and, as I said, I can update that she has since decided not to take up the role."

Downing Street said there were "no plans" for further updates on whether the envoy position might be taken up by someone else. "I don't have any immediate plans to update you on as to further recruitment, but to be very clear, resetting our relationships and working with the regions and nations has been at the heart of everything the Government does," she added.

Asked why there were no plans to fill the role given it was previously described as "vital" to Government, No10 said Ms Gray had been "uniquely placed" to hold the position and repeated that the role would be kept "under review".

Ms Gray found herself at the centre of controversy since Labour was elected to government. In September a row broke out after it emerged she was paid more than the PM, with figures in and around government giving highly negative briefings about her to the press. It was a major talking point at the party's annual conference - which Ms Gray notably chose not to attend at the last minute.

Other stories were reported around alleged difficult relations between Ms Gray and director of political strategy, Morgan McSweeney, as well as suggestions of tensions between the chief of staff and special advisers. Downing Street was at one point forced to deny there was a "nest of vipers" behind the scenes in Mr Starmer's administration following reports of tensions involving senior officials. Mr McSweeney replaced Ms Gray as chief of staff after her departure.

Ms Gray's name was thrown into the public's eye when she headed an investigation into Partygate. A row erupted when it emerged she was going to work for Labour, with Boris Johnson turning on the former senior civil servant and claiming her report was biased.

In October, Mr Starmer said: "I want to thank Sue for all the support she has given me, both in opposition and government, and her work to prepare us for government and get us started on our programme of change. Sue has played a vital role in strengthening our relations with the regions and nations. I am delighted that she will continue to support that work."