Keir Starmer's former chief of staff, Sue Gray, has stated that working in No 10 was "unbearable," revealing fears that her conversations were being recorded by colleagues to be leaked to the media. Gray, who was the most powerful adviser in Downing Street before her resignation in 2024, was critical of the working environment under Starmer.
In an interview with the Political Currency podcast, Gray said she was "disappointed" that Starmer did not act on her concerns about staff briefing journalists against her. She described the atmosphere in No 10 as "definitely unbearable, particularly for me," adding that she believed none of the briefing came from her.
Gray's comments follow recent frustrations expressed by Yvette Cooper, the health secretary under Burnham, who accused Starmer's No 10 of sidelining her during a key immigration policy launch when she was home secretary. Gray served as chief of staff for four months, having previously worked for Starmer in opposition to prepare for government.