Everyone has followed Guido’s story yesterday revealing that Downing Street is still locked in a bitter row over Sue Gray. She’s demanding a mega severance payout and salary…
Veteran Pat McFadden was sent out on the morning round to face questions over whether Gray will be grabbing a golden goodbye after leaving Number 10. After much probing, McFadden eventually told Times Radio that she probably would be entitled to severance pay:
“Whatever contractually is there, I’m sure she would be but, you know, I can’t comment on anybody’s individual circumstances.”
Gray had been on a probationary contract for four months, just like the other SpAds, though it’s unclear whether her departure qualifies for a golden goodbye. Meanwhile, she’s already giving her new “made-up job” the cold shoulder, skipping the first Council of Nations and Regions meeting in Scotland today…
The list of Cabinet Committees and who’s bagged a seat at each table is out, and it’s bad news for Angela Rayner. She’s been unceremoniously snubbed after missing out on a permanent seat at the high level National Security Council. Guido was inspired to make a list of the most powerful cabinet ministers in order of how many committees they have permanent membership to:
Out of the ten committees, Reeves is on 8 of them, McFadden is on 7 and Cooper’s on 6. As it stands, the following are currently on more than one committee:
- Rachel Reeves: 8
- Pat McFadden: 7
- Yvette Cooper: 6
- Jonathan Reynolds: 5
- Nick Thomas-Symonds: 5
- Angela Rayner: 4
- John Healey: 5
- Ed Miliband: 3
- David Lammy: 3
- Peter Kyle: 3
- Hilary Benn: 3
- Richard Hermer: 4
- Wes Streeting: 2
- Bridget Phillipson: 2
- Lucy Powell: 2
- Jo Stevens: 2
- Ian Murray: 2
- Darren Jones: 2
The Red Queen only managed to scrape in on 4 committees – just one more than ‘Red Ed’. Deputy Prime Minister in name only?
Reeves is preparing to deliver a speech on the supposedly “surprise” £20 billion black hole Labour have found after looking at the books. Reeves is still pushing the narrative that Labour is “shocked” by the numbers, despite the head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies blasting the claim as “not credible”. Now key ally and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden is paving the way for surprise additional tax rises, u-turning on their “no ifs, no buts” election promise not to do so…
Speaking on Times Radio this morning, McFadden said:
“We also said there was nothing in our plans at the election that required increases in taxes. That was the case during the election and today what you will hear is how we are going to have to respond to that opening of the books and I think what people should expect today is not tax measures but a Chancellor that is prepared to take some very tough decisions in spending.”
It looks like cuts in infrastructure spending – despite claiming to be ‘pro-growth’ – and increases in taxes on savings and investment will be the theme of this Labour government. They can’t blame the Tories forever…
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?
Nick Ferrari asked Labour’s National Campaign Co-ordinator Pat McFadden a simple question on LBC: “Where would a trans woman go to use the bathroom in a restaurant that’s just got a man and a woman’s facility”? Rather than answer it he reacted with faux-exasperation: “You’ve enjoyed asking this question I think in recent days, Nick.” Is Labour getting impatient for polling day?
Ferrari hit back: “Because [Starmer] keeps changing his position.” This comes after Starmer said this week that biological males with gender recognition certificates do not have the right to enter women-only spaces, itself following Bridget Phillipson’s refusal eight times to answer the same question. Even after the Cass Report they can barely bring themselves to say it…
McFadden continued:
“Look, we want to protect women only spaces in the end this is for the premises and I think with this uh issue you know, asking politicians this one day after another in some kind of game… it’s right to protect women only spaces uh so I’m not sure the Equality Act needs to be changed… let’s act with a bit of kindness to people uh rather than using them as some kind of gotcha question in an interview.“
Which says precisely nothing…
