Sue Gray And Tory Lying

Ever since former career Civil Servant Sue Gray resigned her Cabinet Office position and reportedly accepted an offer from Labour leader Keir Starmer to become his chief of staff, there have been howls of protest from those out on the right, claiming that she had broken the rules in allegedly talking to Team Starmer while still in the Civil Service. Some of which came badly unstuck.

He couldn't pony up any evidence ...

Typical of these was an intervention on the BBC World at One programme by (yes, it’s her again) Nadine Dorries who, as the Guardian later reported, “had suggested that the report by the former civil servant on lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street during Johnson’s premiership was discredited after her decision to become chief of staff for the Labour leader, Keir Starmer”.

Worse, “She described the ex-mandarin as a ‘personal friend of Keir Starmer, someone who has been in discussion over who knows what period of time … about taking the role as his chief of staff, with the primary objective of taking down the Tory government’ … The former cabinet minister went on to allege that there may have been political motivations in the findings Gray reached over the lockdown investigation”. But this was mainly total crap.

So crap, in fact, that after “Starmer clarified in an interview with LBC that Gray was ‘not a friend’ and is ‘not in the same social circles’ as him”, the Beeb had to apologise for failing to challenge Ms Dorries’ allegations, admitting “there should have been more challenge”. Like calling her out for lying.

... nor could they ...

Yet still the briefings came, telling that Ms Gray had somehow breached the Civil Service Code. The Murdoch Sun was especially scathing: “SIR Keir Starmer's 'Mr Rules' rep took a hammer blow last night after Sue Gray refused to say when she started secret talks with Labour … The former Cabinet Office enforcer sparked fury yesterday as she stone-walled a Whitehall probe into her dramatic departure from Government earlier”.

There was more. “Government insiders accused her of breaking the civil service code on multiple occasions. Deputy PM Oliver Dowden pointed out she should have stuck to strict rules around conducting ‘political activity’ and for failing to declare the talks with senior ministers”. And not just the Sun.

The increasingly desperate and downmarket Telegraph told readers “Sue Gray held Partygate role during secret talks with Keir Starmer … Civil Servant whose report prompted Boris Johnson’s downfall [no it didn’t] was still working for ethics team while in discussions with Labour leader”. Except that this was caveated with “a report is set to reveal”. There was more.

... and nor could they ...

“A report by the Cabinet Office is on Tuesday expected to find that she entered negotiations with Labour while she was working with the department’s Propriety and Ethics Team (PET). At the time the team was advising MPs on the privileges committee investigating Boris Johnson, which Tory sources said on Monday presented a conflict of interest”.

“Tory sources said”. And in a further bout of nudge-nudgery, we are told “The Telegraph has been told of growing concern within Government that [Starmer] may have been holding secret talks with other top civil servants”. Then the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog joined in the falsehood-fest in no style at all this morning.

“Rule-Breaking Sue Gray Stonewalled Government Inquiry … SHADY GRAY STAYS SILENT” we hear, before another caveat: “Despite prior briefing that the update would outline the findings of the Cabinet Office’s review into her departure - including the conclusion that she broke the ministerial code - the statement made no such allegation”. And why might that be, O Great Guido?

... which leads to the inevitable conclusion

Let’s see what light the FT has shone on proceedings, shall we? “Alex Thomas, at the Institute for Government think-tank, told the Financial Times that ministers appeared to have been unable to produce evidence to back up media briefings that Gray had breached the Civil Service Code”. Whoops!

Even the Murdoch Times is in bet-hedging mode: “The Cabinet Secretary forced ministers to weaken a highly critical statement on the departure of Sue Gray from the Civil Service to become Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, The Times has been told”. So the latest briefing is to say A Big Civil Service Boy Did It And Ran Away. They had her bang to rights, honestly.

Except they didn’t: the press was briefed, the smears were spread, the accusations made, and then when it came to ponying up some actual evidence, none was forthcoming. On the eve of a round of local elections that could prove disastrous to them, the Tories have been caught lying. Again.

This blog is not Keir Starmer’s greatest fan. But this time he is in the clear.

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