LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ‘s chief of workers give up on Sunday, citing issues that rising information experiences about her function “risked turning into a distraction to the federal government.”
Sue Grey’s resignation got here after current experiences about tensions between her and Starmer’s chief adviser Morgan McSweeney, and that she was incomes greater than the prime minister. The BBC has reported that Grey’s annual wage was 170,000 kilos ($223,000), about 3,000 kilos greater than Starmer is paid.
Grey mentioned she accepted a brand new function as Starmer’s envoy for the areas and nations. McSweeney will change her as chief of workers at Downing Road.
“All through my profession, my first curiosity has all the time been public service,” Grey mentioned in an announcement. “Nonetheless, in current weeks it has change into clear to me that intense commentary round my place risked turning into a distraction to the federal government’s important work of change.”
Grey, a former senior civil servant, grew to become a family title in Britain in 2022, when she led investigations into “Partygate” — allegations that former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his workers attended events on authorities property regardless of the nation’s strict COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Her findings helped topple Johnson, who resigned final yr.
Grey stepped down from civil service final yr earlier than becoming a member of Labour as Starmer’s chief of workers.
Officers additionally introduced different modifications to the Downing Road operation, together with the organising of a brand new strategic communications workforce.
Starmer grew to become Britain’s first Labour prime minister in 14 years after he received a landslide election victory in July.
In current weeks he has confronted criticism over Grey’s paycheck in addition to unfavorable experiences that he and his spouse accepted 1000’s of kilos’ value of garments, eyeglasses and different objects. He has denied impropriety.
