Labour aide Sue Gray will not attend the inaugural gathering of the council of nations and regions because she has “been through a lot”, a senior cabinet minister has said.
Gray was appointed as the prime minister’s new envoy for regions and nations last Sunday, after she resigned as No 10’s chief of staff.
At the time of her appointment, Keir Starmer said he was “delighted” Gray would stay by his side in the new role, adding the shake-up showed Labour’s “determination to deliver”.
The job switch came after months of hostile briefing against Gray from within No 10 and the wider Labour Party, with some accusing the former civil servant of wielding too much power.
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Gray’s tenure as chief of staff was ultimately marred by controversy after it was leaked that she was being paid more than the PM. She was replaced in the role by Labour’s general election campaign director, Morgan McSweeney.
In a statement after resigning her post, Gray said it had been an honour to “play my part in the delivery of a Labour government”.
She added: “However in recent weeks it has become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change.”
“It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside, and I look forward to continuing to support the prime minister in my new role.”
In the party’s election manifesto, Labour pledged to restructure government by bringing the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland together with regional mayors in England.
To this end, Starmer is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings on Friday before the summit with the Scottish first minister, John Swinney, the Welsh first minister, Eluned Morgan, and their counterparts in Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly.
The prime minister said: “It is when we work together in the spirit of genuine partnership that we can deliver the real change people want to see and improve opportunities for all.”
Commenting on Gray’s non-appearance, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: “Sue has been through quite a lot in the last few weeks.
“I worked with her, she is a great colleague. She is taking a short break now and I think we should allow her the time in privacy to do that.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on X/Twitter here.
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