Is this what’s wrong with Britain? The UK's prime minister Keir Starmer has booted out the top woman in his team. Some say it is a sign of a rotten mindset that is holding the country back.
Fury over Sue Gray media ‘witch hunt’
Out: Before her post as Starmer's chief of staff, Sue Gray was best known as the author of a report into parties held at No 10 Downing Street during the pandemic, which led to Boris Johnson's downfall. Glossary
Prime minister - A prime minister is the head of government in a country with a parliamentary system.
Keir Starmer - The leader of the UK Labour Party since 2020 and British prime minister since July 2024.
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.
Sexism - A belief that one sex is superior to or more valuable than another sex.
Downing Street - 10 Downing Street, in central London, has been the official home of the UK prime minister since 1735.
Blame - Responsible for a bad thing happening.
Salary - How much someone earns for doing their job.
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.
Conflict - A state of disagreement when there is a difference of interests, values or goals.
Middle East - The lands around the east of the Mediterranean Sea and Arabia.
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.
Attitude - A feeling or way of behaving. You can have a "good" or "bad" attitude.