The United Kingdom Public Servant who investigated lockdown gatherings in Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sue Gray, has been offered a job as the Leader of the Opposition’s Chief of Staff.
Opposition Leader, Sir Keir Starmer was reported to be delighted and hoped Ms Gray (pictured) would accept the role “subject to the normal procedures”.
However, allies of Boris Johnson, who was Prime Minister during Ms Gray’s ‘Partygate’ investigation, reacted with fury.
Former Minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg said Ms Gray’s Partygate conclusions now looked “like a left-wing stitch-up against a Conservative Prime Minister”.
“So much for an impartial Civil Service,” Mr Rees-Mogg said.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Sue Gray has resigned from the post of Second Permanent Secretary in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
“This was accepted by the Department’s Permanent Secretary and Cabinet Secretary with immediate effect,” they said.
“We will not be commenting further on individual personnel matters.
“We are reviewing the circumstances under which she resigned.”
Under the Civil Service Code, officials of Ms Gray’s seniority must wait a minimum of three months before taking up outside employment.
The move will be scrutinised by the anti-corruption watchdog, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which will advise Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak on whether the move is “unsuitable”.
Mr Sunak will make a final ruling, but does not have the power to block an appointment.
Ms Gray went from an influential but little-known arbiter of conduct in Government to a household name.
Her report on the Partygate scandal last year contributed to Mr Johnson’s downfall as Prime Minister, prompting numerous Conservative MPs to call on him to resign.
She criticised “failures of leadership and judgment” in No 10 and said “the senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility”.
Separately, Mr Johnson received one of 126 fines issued by the Metropolitan Police while it investigated gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall.
Hearings in an inquiry by the Commons Privileges Committee into Opposition claims Mr Johnson misled MPs about what he knew about the lockdown gatherings in Government buildings are expected to begin in the coming weeks.
London, 5 March 2023
