Ex-civil servant condemns claims Sue Gray had 'political plot' after her appointment as Labour chief of staff

3 March 2023, 15:39

Ex-civil servant condemns claims that Sue Gray had political plot

By Alice Bourne

This ex-civil servant told Shelagh Fogarty that the conspiracies that Sue Gray had a "deliberate plot against the PM" during her report on Downing Street parties is "pretty far-fetched".

Ex-civil servant Jill Rutter told Shelagh Fogarty that the appointment of Sue Gray to Labour's chief of staff is not a "political plot", suggesting it was just another "conspiracy theory" championed by Johnson supporters.

Ms. Rutter, former programme director at the Institute for Government, continued: "In many ways, it's just as likely that one of the things that motivated Sue Gray to go and help Kier Starmer prepare for the government was what she saw and condemned in her report" rather than any prior political affiliation.

These comments come after the appointment of ex-senior civil servant Sue Gray who oversaw the official inquiry into lockdown-breaking parties in No 10.

Read More: Covid rule breaches would have been 'obvious' to Boris Johnson at several gatherings, top MPs say

Read More: James O'Brien ridicules anger over Sue Gray appointment as he lists Tory transgressions

Boris Johnson supporters have promised to undermine the appointment and see it as undermining the findings of the Sue Gray Report 2022 which led partly to Boris Johnson's resignation. Attention is also being paid to whether Rishi Sunak might block the appointment entirely.

Ms. Rutter elaborated on the report saying it "actually let the Prime Minister off relatively lightly" and "may have tipped her over the edge into thinking maybe I can do some good in helping a new government hitting the ground running."

She concluded: "The facts of the party will determine the fate of Boris Johnson not the authorship of Sue Gray."

Read More: Sue Gray joining Labour shows Partygate was 'deliberate and manufactured plot', Boris Johnson ally claims

More Shelagh Fogarty News

See more More Shelagh Fogarty News

'How do you get Hamas out? We didn't get the IRA out...'

LBC caller from Northern Ireland warns trauma will perpetuate conflict in Middle East

LBC Caller: 'At least we know where we stand with Reform'

LBC Caller: 'At least we know where we stand with Reform'

LBC callers react to the local election results

LBC callers react to the local election results

Caller Heidi

Caller Heidi can't understand why the Ukraine minerals deal has taken the US so long

LBC caller reveals she was ignored by police when she reported elder abuse of her parents

LBC caller reveals she was ignored by police when she reported elder abuse of her parents

'Unreasonable' of IOPC to hold gross misconduct hearing into Chris Kaba's killer

LBC caller: 'Unreasonable' of IOPC to hold gross misconduct hearing into Chris Kaba's killer

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle takes part in the Call the Cabinet phone-in on LBC hosted by Shelagh Fogarty.

Online safety laws not up for negotiation in deal to exempt Britain from Donald Trump's tariff plan, Tech Secretary tells LBC

"Pretty terrifying day": Wes Streeting sends "heart out" to those affected as three dead at care home.

'Pretty terrifying day': Wes Streeting sends 'heart out' to affected as three dead at Dorset care home

The Princess of Wales says she edited the photograph that was released to mark Mother's Day.

The insistence that we see Kate is tantamount to stalking, writes Shelagh Fogarty

Caller tells Shelagh his solution to illegal immigration.

LBC caller tells Shelagh Fogarty that the Channel islands are the answer to 'illegal immigration'

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' immigration policies

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self-interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' migration policies

Shelagh Fogarty

Former Treasury official outlines 'three immediate priorities' likely to be reflected in Autumn Statement

Shelagh Fogarty

Suella Braverman's hardline crime bill seems like she's ‘interviewing' for career at ‘pathetic’ news channels, says caller

Shelagh and caller Sam

Anti-Semitic chants and actions 'delegitimize' pro-Palestinian cause asserts this Shelagh Fogarty caller

Shelagh and Ricardo Dos Santos

'It's sickening': Ricardo Dos Santos speaks to Shelagh Fogarty as two officers sacked over stop and search

Shelagh

Rishi Sunak has 'failed monumentally' to 'humanise' both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict says Israel expert