The woman behind Keir Starmer's rise in UK and why she is feared the most

Sue Gray, one of Britain’s most senior officials, spearheaded UK Labour Leader Keir Starmer party’s preparations in the run up to the polls. Now, with Starmer being the prime minister, Gray is one of the central figures charged with driving through the changes to Britain he promised on his path to power.

According to Politico, Gray — who has dedicated much of her career to Britain’s impartial civil service, taking on a series of influential roles in Whitehall including the much talked about role involving investigation into former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s behavior during the Partygate scandal, which eventually led to his resignation — knows the levers of the government machine well, but has long proved to be a divisive figure.

“Sue’s got her fans from when she was a civil servant, and she’s got the people who didn’t like her either personally or because they crossed swords with her,” Politico quoted a senior Whitehall official who has worked closely with Gray as saying.

Putting it more bluntly, a former Tory special adviser told Politico that she has made plenty enemies on both the official and political side

“She knows how the system works, which is why she was hired — but has made plenty enemies on both the official and political side, so will have a huge fight on her hands,” the former Tory special adviser was quoted as saying.

Signs of division visible

According to The Mail on Sunday, Gray has been accused of restricting access to the prime minister, including blocking officials who tried to brief Starmer on intelligence.

However, Downing Street rejected these claims as “noises off from people who don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Labour staffers privately complain that Gray has delayed ministerial and special adviser appointments, with many requiring her personal approval, reported Politico.

Concerns were raised when her son, Liam Conlon, was quickly given an unpaid role in the Department for Transport shortly after being elected an MP in July. Labour denied that she had significant influence over such appointments, added the report.

“It’s not about who she likes, but more about who she rates," Politico quoted a senior Whitehall official as saying. “She does not suffer fools gladly. She never has done,” the official added.

Gray’s formidable reputation in Westminster was cemented during her tenure as the head of ethics in the civil service, where she made career-impacting judgments on ministers and officials’ conduct.

Her status became almost mythical. Former Lib Dem minister David Laws recounted in his memoir on the 2010-15 government that Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Letwin wryly noted, “our great United Kingdom is actually entirely run by a lady called Sue Gray.”

“Unless she agrees, things just don’t happen. Cabinet reshuffles, departmental reorganisations, the whole lot — it’s all down to Sue Gray,” Letwin was quoted as saying. “Nothing moves in Whitehall unless Sue says so.”

Gets things done vs flashpoint for controversies

According to _Politico, m_any who have worked with Gray commend her for getting things done.

“She’s very effective. Once she knows what she wants to do, you’re not getting in her way,” Politico quoted a senior Whitehall official as saying. “Because she’s very effective at delivering things, and she has good judgement, and is a networker, it means she can get things done.”

“She’s very different and very driven, which is why everyone is fascinated by her,” they added. “She never takes a holiday.”

However, there are also many who are not happy with her way of functioning, arguing she makes herself the focal point of decision-making, creating roadblocks and becoming a flashpoint for controversies — a view Labour disputes.

“The question with Sue is what does she want?” asked a Labour MP, speaking anonymously to discuss Gray candidly. “Does she want to delegate and appoint good people to make government work effectively, or does she want everything to run through her?”

“The interesting thing about Sue is she is not a policy person,” Politico quoted a Whitehall official as saying.

“It’s about power and control and making things happen. She’s the bureaucrat’s bureaucrat.”

Staunch opponent

According to Politico, Simon Case, the current head of the civil service, is not a fan of Sue Gray.

Case, the Cabinet Secretary, blocked Gray’s appointment to head the civil service in Northern Ireland in 2020 and also prevented her from becoming the top official at the Department for Business and Trade in 2023. Later that year, as Gray resigned to join the Labour Party, Case recommended delaying her new role as long as possible.

Case is set to step down soon due to health issues, opening the door for Gray to potentially reshape the civil service next year. Labour’s recent victory has raised hopes for a better relationship between ministers and officials, contrasting with the previous Tory government’s conflicts. The civil service, once derisively called “the blob,” now feels a “profound sense of relief,” Politico quoted a Whitehall official who spoke anonymously.

However, this warmth may not last.

Jack Worlidge, a former Tory special adviser, told Politico that as the government’s term progresses, challenges and strained relationships are inevitable. Another former aide noted that the civil service’s entrenched habits might hinder Labour’s efforts.

Gray, known as a disruptor, may face significant challenges in transforming government operations.

Reflecting on her past, she admitted, “I suspect people may have thought that I perhaps was too much of a challenger, or a disrupter. I am both. Perhaps I would bring about … too much change.”

Similar to Dominic Cummings, who criticised the civil service’s resistance, Gray may encounter obstacles from officials resistant to change. There are also internal Labour tensions, with some staff feeling sidelined or dissatisfied with their new roles, reported Politico.

Overall, Gray’s tenure may be marked by resistance from both within the civil service and her own party, presenting a challenging road ahead. As the Whitehall official said, “She had a lot of protection being a civil servant — but she has none of that now.”

With inputs from agencies