In the latest chapter of Labour’s cronyism saga, Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray is now pocketing a staggering £170,000 – £3,000 more than the Prime Minister himself. According to the BBC, Gray demanded the princely sum and ignored advice to take a few thousand less to ‘dodge this very story’…
Not only does Gray’s salary dwarf that of her Tory predecessor Liam Booth-Smith, she previously led the crusade for austerity in adviser pay. Back in 2016, while she was at the Cabinet Office, she spearheaded the policy to cap SpAd salaries at £72,000—though she pushed for them to be even lower. Now she’s raking in 236% of the salary cap she enforced…
A Tory source tells Guido:
“The hypocrisy of Sue Gray taking the highest ever SpAd salary – after years of cutting Tory spad pay at every opportunity and persecuting generations of Tory advisers – is a new level of reality.”
Hypocrisy from Labour comrades is a theme that seems never ending…
The Tories are asking questions about Sue’s salary:
- Did the Prime Minister personally sign off Sue Gray’s new salary and the increase to the Pay Band 4 cap?
- Does a Special Adviser Remuneration Committee still formally or informally exist?
- If so, has it met since the General Election to set policy and make individual decisions on Special Adviser pay?
- Is Sue Gray a member of this Committee?
- Has Sue Gray attended any of this Committee’s meetings or contributed to decisions / or commented on submissions whether verbally or in writing?
- What role did Sue Gray play in the setting of her own salary or the changes to the Pay Band 4 cap?
- Is it the case that Sue Gray does not set Special Adviser pay or that she has no involvement whatsoever in the setting of Special Adviser pay?
- If Sue Gray has no involvement in the setting of Special Adviser pay, to whom can Special Advisers raise complaints about their remuneration?
- Why did Cabinet Office Ministers refuse to come clean in a Parliamentary Question yesterday on changes to the Pay Band 4 cap?
- Is Sue Gray receiving any top up of her salary from the Labour Party?
The McSweeneyites are seething…
It’s trouble in paradise for Labour as Starmer’s Chief of Staff Sue Gray continues to cause conflict within Downing Street. Guido hears SpAds still haven’t been able to sign their official contracts, causing further frustration and fury among aides. As one Whitehall insider remarked, “they better get on with it”…
SpAds have reportedly decided to unionise following complaints of pay cuts and work overload as many departments seem to have fewer aides than they did under the Tories. The recent public sector pay raises may have given some inspiration…
While Number 10 denies that Gray is involved in setting SpAd terms and pay, it’s no secret that frustrations with their roles are directed at her. SpAds have labelled Gray a “control freak,” blaming her for the delays in formal contract approvals. Still, it seems they are making the most of the hold up by upping negotiations. Until then, Labour aides will have to make do with working under strict probationary terms instead…
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, die-hard Remainer whose fervour eclipses even Starmer’s, is sure to relish his new role as an architect of closer EU ties. Though he might find it tricker to deal with US-UK relations considering his previous vehement anti-Trump views if he reclaims the White House. If co-conspirators hoped that his trusty new SpAds would keep his hardline views in check, they may be disappointed…
Ben Judah, formerly of Europe promoting think-tank Atlantic Council and journalist, has had some choice comments on President Trump over the years. During Trump’s 2016 campaign, he wrote that Trump’s supporters didn’t care about his more controversial background as “Outside DC, where the voters might struggle to place Ukraine on a map or tell the difference between Nafta and Nato… White America can’t always get what it wants”. He later wrote a damning diagnosis of his election in the Guardian:
“Trump’s election was a symptom of a foreign policy paradigm in terminal decline… Trump is, of course, not alone. From Benjamin Netanyahu to Vladimir Putin, rightwing leaders are practicing foreign politics to advance their personal interests”.
Meanwhile, SpAd Will Heilpern will no doubt be an echo-chamber for EU loving Lammy, who called for a People’s Vote on Brexit in order “to save the country from this hard-right Tory fantasy, which was built on xenophobia, lies and a law-breaking campaign”. No wonder he loved Remoaner Corbyn so much:
To be fair to Lammy, at least this time he allowed men into his team, something he famously refused to do as he was “determined to get a woman”. He clearly opted for the ‘surround yourself with yes-men’ approach…
Angela Rayner’s crack team of Trident hating, Brexit bashing Corbynista SpAds will continue guiding her through the rough and tumble of Westminster life in MHCLG. Here are some of their more interesting views…
Alex Jones remains Rayner’s Senior Adviser. He was Head of Communications at GMB from 2015 to 2021. During his stint the GMB was found to be “institutionally sexist” in an independent report. The 17-member strong ‘Taskforce for Positive Change‘ formed by the senior team failed abjectly and GMB members went on strike this year over the scandal. Jones served as Head of External Affairs at the cranky socialist New Economics Foundation which came up with inspired suggestions such as: “it is always possible to find additional public resources for public services, even without growth: raise taxes, close tax loopholes, cut spending on nuclear warheads.” New minister Miatta Fahnbulleh headed up the NEF and is also advising Rayner…
Before GMB, Jones was Press and Public Affairs Manager at the National Union of Students when it organised the window-smashing “Tory scum” riots in London. Must have caught Rayner’s eye…
The team’s union links are deep. Former Head of Operations for Unite, Nick Parrott, is Rayner’s Chief of Staff. His wife Lisa Johnson was formerly the Director of External Relations at GMB.
Kate Robson continues as Rayner’s Political Adviser, a role she’s held since February 2022. Robson has shared posts supporting Corbyn, bashing meat eaters, fighting Brexit, and one calling for the UK to “go straight to the heart of capitalism and overthrow it.” How goes the revolution Kate…
Isabel Bull completes the team as Political and Policy Manager. One of Bull’s stronger political convictions is for unilateral nuclear disarmament. Bull lambasted the renewal of Trident, stating: “I think this was not just resolutely awful, but also an unequivocally naïve decision.” No doubt she bonded with her anti-nuclear boss…
SpAds often temper their minister’s more barmy ideas – it looks like there’s no risk of that here…
According to Labour sources a new SpAd is about to enter Downing Street – John Stevens, the current Mirror political editor, is leaving the Lobby to spin for the government. Stevens is going to work for Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Labour heavyweight Pat McFadden…
No stranger to a scoop, Stevens will have to fend off his Lobby colleagues from inside government. From memory the last Mirror political editor to make the jump to Downing Street was Bad Al Campbell, the jury is out on how well that went. Guido has approached Stevens for comment…
UPDATE: Move confirmed.
Labour’s new SpAds aren’t having the smoothest of entries into their new government roles. Apart from being put on strict probationary contracts they have taken far longer than normal to be confirmed. Some haven’t even signed on the dotted line yet…
Numerous frustrated SpAds blame “control freak” Sue Gray for the long delay. Guido has heard whispers from several sources that the Grayite vs. McSweeneyist split in Number 10 is far from thawing as she and the ‘McIavelli‘ wrangle for access to Starmer. Gray is accused by one insider of “acting like a Cabinet Secretary“, preventing enemies from taking on their full roles and attempting to excessively control ministers. Personnel are taking sides…
In the meantime Guido provides, as always, the definitive SpAd list…
