LONDON — Sue Gray, the feared former civil servant who led an official inquiry into the Partygate scandal that damaged Boris Johnson, has been cleared to become Labour leader Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.
Westminster’s appointments watchdog Acoba said Friday that Gray could join Labour’s top team just six months after she quit her civil service role in March.
It’s twice the normal cooling-off period, but the committee found “no evidence” Gray used her Whitehall role to favor the opposition party, a blow against claims to the contrary by allies of Johnson, the former prime minister who was probed over coronavirus lockdown-busting parties in government.
Senior civil servants and ministers are expected to consult the watchdog on any new roles they plan to take up within two years of leaving government.
While Acoba cannot block appointments, it can advise that start dates be delayed by up to two years. Ignoring its advice would have been politically-damaging for Labour and Gray.
Explaining their decision to implement a six month waiting period — which could see Gray in place in time for the fall party conference season — the watchdog wrote: “There has been no evidence provided to the Committee that Ms Gray’s decision making or ability to remain impartial was impaired whilst she remained in her Civil Service role.
“Given the lack of commercial risk, and the limited scope for undue influence, the Committee determined that twice the standard waiting period would be proportionate to mitigate the risks identified, providing a clear break of six months before Ms Gray takes up the role.”
Some Conservative ministers and MPs had called on Acoba to institute at least a 12-month cooling off period given her previous role in leading the Partygate inquiry which delivered a damning verdict on Johnson’s leadership.
But Acoba said while they had considered imposing a longer gap, they felt such a move would be “disproportionate.” She would, the committee found, be limited in her ability to exploit her former role given “conditions which prevent her making use of privileged information in office; her ongoing duty of confidentiality; and a gap between her leaving office and taking up the role.”
The appointment decision is likely to infuriate supporters of Johnson, some of whom have called for an inquiry into Gray for failing to declare her discussions with Starmer to civil service bosses.
Starmer said Friday that Gray “brings unrivalled experience on how the machinery of government works and is a woman of great integrity.”