Lobby hacks are this week still asking Starmer’s spokesman about Sue Gray’s fake envoy job. Surprise surprise, no updates…
When Gray resigned back at the start of the month the PM said “he was ‘delighted’ she would stay by his side in her new role.’” Let’s see how that’s going…
Guido hears from Downing Street that Sue is hilariously “still deciding if she is doing the envoy job.” In the meantime she has no desk, no contract, and no internal IT. So much for sitting by Keir’s side…
Downing Street continued to refuse to supply any details on Sue Gray’s fake envoy job a full week after they promised it would all be public “shortly.” Guido revealed last week that a row over pay and severance was responsible for the roadblock…
Gray’s role as “PM’s Envoy to the Nations and Regions” now looks like it’s up for the chop before it even exists. A Downing Street source tells Guido she’s now “very unlikely” to do the role, “not least as no one can work out what it is.” John Swinney’s refusal ever to talk to Sue Gray is seen internally as an indicator of how stupid the position would be if No 10 pressed ahead with it…
Meanwhile whispers from government have Gray backing down in her fight for a bumper severance pay package, so that it doesn’t need to be publicly approved from above. Just that speedy peerage on the way then…
Five days after the inaugural meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions, along with the absence of the newly-appointed Envoy for the Nations and Regions, and the government can still supply no details as to what Sue Gray is actually doing. On Monday last week journalists were told details would be uploaded to the gov.uk website “shortly“. Over a week later it’s still crickets…
Starmer’s spokesman was asked at today’s Lobby briefing when Sue Gray would actually start her job – no start date was supplied. It’s “no commentary” on Guido’s revelations on “HR issues” over her new role. Gray is locked in an almighty row over her severance package and new salary…
Guido hears from a Downing Street source that “no one can work out” what her job actually is, mostly because it’s “totally made up.” The government’s response is confirming that one…
There is some disbelief in government that Sue Gray is still managing to make herself the story a week after she got the sack. She’s now “on a break” while actually battling in Downing Street for a golden goodbye and new salary…
There has been some speculation that Gray will be punted off to the Lords imminently – other briefings play down the chances of that. It looks like there’s at least one person who believes the rumours…
Guido hears that Sue has, incredibly, been heard boasting that she’s the first name on the list to get into the Lords in the New Years honours. Enough time for her to settle in to her fake envoy job before being quietly whisked to the upper chamber…
A government source tells Guido:
“Pushing for a job at a house full of unelected great n’goods saying no to politicians and ignoring the voters? Sounds about right.”
Safe to say there’s not much sympathy left for “Britain’s most powerful woman”…
Starmer has spent the afternoon dodging questions from journalists on Sue Gray’s ridiculous non-presence at the inaugural meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions in Scotland. He was asked why she wasn’t there and said: “We’ve just had the first meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions.” He can’t even dodge a question properly…
He was asked again why Gray wasn’t present and just said that “we’ve got a long way down the road of collaborating” to get investment in the regions. So he didn’t bother maintaining the line from this morning that Sue’s having a well-deserved break…
Starmer was asked about Guido’s story yesterday and whether he would approve Sue’s severance pay. Didn’t answer that one either…
He repeated:
“We’ve had a really important meeting today.”
The farce continues…
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…
