Baroness Sue Gray, former chief of staff to Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, has publicly described her time working at No 10 Downing Street as “unbearable,” highlighting a toxic working environment marked by internal mistrust and negative media briefings reportedly aimed at undermining her. Speaking for the first time since her departure, Gray said she feared her conversations were being secretly recorded and leaked to the press, contributing to an atmosphere that severely affected her personal and professional life.
Sue Gray, a respected and influential figure within the British civil service, gained widespread recognition for her role investigating the Partygate scandal under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Appointed head of ethics and instrumental in overseeing the inquiry, her report garnered Johnson’s endorsement despite its political fallout. Following Labour’s 2024 general election victory, Starmer, impressed by Gray’s reputation, brought her into his team to prepare the party for government. Gray then assumed the role of chief of staff at Downing Street in July 2024 but left the position just three months later.
Details surrounding her exit remain unclear, as Starmer and others involved have declined to comment publicly. Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s other senior aide who succeeded Gray as chief of staff after a brief internal power struggle, acknowledged last month that mistakes had been made during the early months of Labour’s administration. McSweeney suggested the team had underestimated the complexities of transitioning from opposition to government and admitted the party lacked a concrete strategy to deliver rapid change in a markedly different political and economic environment.
Gray has accused unnamed figures within No 10 of orchestrating relentless and prejudicial media briefings against her, describing the manner as obsessive and paranoid. She emphasized that none of the negative leaks originated from her and that the experience made her tenure “very, very, very difficult.” The difficulties she faced mirrored broader instability within the prime minister’s office, with Starmer dismissing two cabinet secretaries—Simon Case, inherited from previous administrations, and Chris Wormald, his own appointee—as well as cycling through several communications directors, pointing to ongoing internal dysfunction.
Observers note that the early months of Starmer’s government have been marked by significant organizational challenges and strained relationships among senior staff. While it remains uncertain where accountability lies, some analysts suggest that Starmer, Gray, and McSweeney may have struggled to replicate the cohesion and effectiveness they displayed during Labour’s opposition years. The recent upheaval raises questions about loyalty, leadership, and strategic vision within the current administration, topics likely to be explored in future accounts from key participants.
As Gray has now stepped away from active politics and government, the full narrative behind the upheaval at No 10 in 2024 has yet to fully emerge.