Keir Starmer Has Awarded Sue Gray A Peerage Just Weeks After Sacking Her
Keir Starmer has given Sue Gray a seat in the House of Lords just weeks after sacking her as his chief of staff.
The former top civil servant was ousted as part of a shake-up of No.10 in October, less than 100 days after the general election.
It came after weeks of behind-the-scenes rows and reports of bad blood between her and Morgan McSweeney, the Downing Street head of strategy who was then given her old job.
Gray initially agreed to become the prime minister’s envoy to the nations and regions, but ended up leaving the government altogether without taking up the role.
But despite the controversy surrounding her, it was confirmed on Friday that Gray is one of 30 new Labour peers being appointed by the PM.
Other notable names joining Gray in the House of Lords include former MPs Thangam Debbonaire, Julie Elliott, Luciana Berger, Kevin Brennan, Lyn Brown, and Phil Wilson.
Former Scottish MP Wendy Alexander, and previously Labour leader in the Scottish parliament, former general secretary of the TUC Brendan Barber and former joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Mary Bousted, will also be heading to the Lords.
Meanwhile, the Tories’ nominations include former deputy PM Therese Coffey, former minister for housing Rachel Maclean and associate editor of The Spectator Toby Young.
These new appointments will give the Tories 277 representatives in the Lords up from 271, Labour 215 up from 185, and the Liberal Democrats 80 up from 78.
There are also 184 crossbenchers and 83 other members of the House who are not affiliated, bishops or from smaller parties.