Sue Gray
| Sue Gray link Website (Civil servant,spook) | |
|---|---|
| File:Sue Gray.jpg | |
| Born | September 1957 London |
| Nationality | UK |
British spooky civil servant who investigated 'partygate', worked for Keir Starmer and became a Baroness | |
Susan Ann Gray, Baroness Gray of Tottenham, is a spooky British civil servant who was Second Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office. Sue Gray was Downing Street Chief of Staff from July to October 2024.[1]
Early career
Sue Gray took an unusual career break in the 1980s to run a rural pub in Northern Ireland with her husband, a musician. The couple chose a remote location near his roots in County Down. It was then the height of the Troubles and this pub was not far from IRA strongholds along the border.[2]
Dr Kevin Hearty, a criminologist at Queen's University Belfast said:
“It’s certainly become clear in subsequent years that intelligence agencies were operating people like Peter Keeley aka Kevin Fulton (an IRA informer) in that immediate area at that particular stage....The fact we know next to nothing about Sue Gray’s time there, or her past more generally, certainly adds a further layer of intrigue to the whole thing.” [2]
Even the BBC seems unable to rule out whether Gray was a spy. BBC Radio 4 said:
“More than one person we’ve spoken to has suggested that Sue Gray might have been involved with the secret services. This might explain the lack of information about her personal life and family background.”[3]
Later career
Sue Gray served as the Director General, Propriety and Ethics in the Cabinet Office from 2012 to 2018.[4]
From 2018 to 2021 Sue Gray served as the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Finance, NI Executive on secondment from the Cabinet Office.
Downing Street parties
In December 2021, it was announced that Sue Gray would take over the investigation into the Christmas and other parties and social gatherings that took place at 10 Downing Street during COVID-19 lockdowns. The probe was initially led by Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, until he recused himself following separate allegations about Christmas parties in his own office during the same period.[5]
Keir Starmer
On 2 March 2023, Sue Gray left the civil service to work as Keir Starmer's chief of staff.[6] Lord Kerslake, former Head of the Home Civil Service, wrote an article in The Guardian "dispelling conspiracy theories" surrounding her appointment. [7]
References
- ↑ "Sue Gray among 30 newly appointed Labour peers"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Partygate referees: why are they so spooky?"
- ↑ "Sue Gray the mystery woman leading the investigation into Downing Street parties during lockdown"
- ↑ "Sue Gray: Second Permanent Secretary to Cabinet Office"
- ↑ "Top civil servant Simon Case quits No 10 party probe amid rule breach claims"
- ↑ "Partygate probe chief Sue Gray offered top job by Labour leader Starmer"
- ↑ "Conspiracy theories about Sue Gray’s job with Labour are absurd – here’s why"