It’s trouble in paradise for Starmer’s top team. Chief of Staff Sue Gray is said to be throwing her weight around, already clashing with Starmer’s Head of Political Strategy Morgan McSweeney. The Sun reports that ‘McIavelli’ has been made to move desk twice, each time further from the Prime Minister. Sue’s been getting her claws out…

Despite Downing Street trying to understate the reported ‘turf war’ between the two Number 10 staff, there’s persistent talk of Gray’s actions causing a stir within Starmer’s inner circle. Guido hears the delays in appointments of junior ministers and SpAd selection blockages are more due to Gray than reported. It seems Gray isn’t just grinding the gears of McSweeney either, with whispers that her ways are also sending  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden into a spiral of frustration, who was overheard saying: “this won’t end well”. Grumbles from others seem to be met with a ‘Keir knows how I work‘ justification from Gray. Though notably she didn’t go to last week’s NATO summit with the Prime Minister. Madness in her method?