Is this what’s wrong with Britain? Keir Starmer has booted out the top woman in his Downing Street team. Some say it is a symptom of a rotten mindset that is holding the country back.
Fury over Sue Gray media 'witch hunt'
Is this what's wrong with Britain? Keir Starmer has booted out the top woman in his Downing Street team. Some say it is a symptom of a rotten mindset that is holding the country back.
After a month of disasters and terrible headlines, Keir Starmer takes drastic action. He shakes up his operation and resolves to move on.
That was not this week but in 2021, after his party lost a key by-election in HartlepoolA seaside town in northern England.. In response, Starmer sacked his shadow chancellorThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the minister responsible for the British government's economic policy. The job is often regarded as second in power and important to that of the prime minister., Annaliese DoddsA UK Labour party politician and the current Minister of State for Development. , and put Rachel ReevesA UK Labour party politician and the current chancellor of the exchequer. in her place, indicating a shift to strict fiscalRelated to government money, especially taxes. discipline.1
Many saw echoes of this approach in his decision over the weekend to sack Sue GrayA senior civil servant who entered the public eye for the first time when she was tasked with investigating lockdown breaches in government. In 2024, she was briefly Keir Starmer's chief of staff., his chief of staffThe leader of a large and complex body or organisation. .
There are many different ways of understanding the Sue Gray story. In one telling, this is a "boys' club" led by Morgan McSweeneyAn Irish political aide who has worked for the UK Labour party and for PM Keir Starmer. , Starmer's chief political adviser and now Gray's successor, getting together to kick a talented woman out of her job.2
Less sympathetic observers say she only has herself to blame. In the last three months she has made herself deeply unpopular.
Many cried foul after she forced other advisers to accept lower pay than their Conservative partyA British political party. Members are known as Tories. predecessorsThe people that came before you. , but accepted an unprecedentedly high salary herself.3
Critics accused her of micromanagingControl even the small details of an activity. . Government departments report they had difficulty getting through to Starmer, as Gray insisted everything must go through her.4
And then there are those who say the Gray story is really a symptom of a whole country mired in an extended navel-gazing exercise.
Yesterday, they point out, was the first anniversary of the 7 OctoberOn 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking more than 200 hostages. massacre and the beginning of the war that is claiming thousands of lives in the Middle East. Yet all the front pages in the UK were focused on a minor government reshuffle.
They argue the row over Gray's pay was proof of an essential meanness in our mindset. Experts have long claimed the UK pays its ministers and top civil servantsAnyone working in a government department. The civil service has long-standing traditions and strict codes of conduct that can make it a law unto itself. far too little. The result is that they go to the private sector instead, depriving the government of talent.5
And this approach, they say, is what is holding Britain back: a reluctance to pay more now for better results in future.6
But others dismiss the idea we can extrapolate all this from one little row in government. They say this is just Starmer doing what he did three years ago: identifying a problem, taking drastic action to solve it, and moving on with a more efficient operation.
Is this what's wrong with Britain?
Yes: The whole country is preoccupied with the latest lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. There is little attempt at a serious analysis of our failings and the policy prescriptions needed to solve them.
No: Starmer sacked Gray because she was doing her job badly. The whole episode has no relevance beyond that simple fact.
Or... This story does not necessarily indicate any wider problem: when a prime minister makes a major personnel change, the media will always take an interest. But that does not mean the bigger issues do not exist.
Keywords
Hartlepool - A seaside town in northern England.
Chancellor - The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the minister responsible for the British government's economic policy. The job is often regarded as second in power and important to that of the prime minister.
Annaliese Dodds - A UK Labour party politician and the current Minister of State for Development.
Rachel Reeves - A UK Labour party politician and the current chancellor of the exchequer.
Fiscal - Related to government money, especially taxes.
Sue Gray - A senior civil servant who entered the public eye for the first time when she was tasked with investigating lockdown breaches in government. In 2024, she was briefly Keir Starmer's chief of staff.
Chief of staff - The leader of a large and complex body or organisation.
Morgan McSweeney - An Irish political aide who has worked for the UK Labour party and for PM Keir Starmer.
Conservative party - A British political party. Members are known as Tories.
Predecessors - The people that came before you.
Micromanaging - Control even the small details of an activity.
7 October - On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking more than 200 hostages.
Civil servants - Anyone working in a government department. The civil service has long-standing traditions and strict codes of conduct that can make it a law unto itself.
Fury over Sue Gray media ‘witch hunt’
Glossary
Hartlepool - A seaside town in northern England.
Chancellor - The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the minister responsible for the British government’s economic policy. The job is often regarded as second in power and important to that of the prime minister.
Annaliese Dodds - A UK Labour party politician and the current Minister of State for Development.
Rachel Reeves - A UK Labour party politician and the current chancellor of the exchequer.
Fiscal - Related to government money, especially taxes.
Sue Gray - A senior civil servant who entered the public eye for the first time when she was tasked with investigating lockdown breaches in government. In 2024, she was briefly Keir Starmer's chief of staff.
Chief of staff - The leader of a large and complex body or organisation.
Morgan McSweeney - An Irish political aide who has worked for the UK Labour party and for PM Keir Starmer.
Conservative party - A British political party. Members are known as Tories.
Predecessors - The people that came before you.
Micromanaging - Control even the small details of an activity.
7 October - On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and taking more than 200 hostages.
Civil servants - Anyone working in a government department. The civil service has long-standing traditions and strict codes of conduct that can make it a law unto itself.