Then, in March 2023, Gray sensationally departed Whitehall to become Keir Starmer’s chief of staff. But her reputation as an inquisitor has helped Gray immensely when it comes to influence on junior staff and MPs. The first is shadow cabinet ministers, especially those bruised by negative briefing, such as Louise Haigh, Lisa Nandy and Angela Rayner, of whom she is a particular champion. Even among the most senior staff, there is barely anyone who has been promised a particular role in government, and the majority are in the dark about the future. One senior Labour figure said Gray and Starmer had connected because of their acutely similar backgrounds.

Source: The Guardian June 02, 2024 18:08 UTC