Minister Pat McFadden told broadcasters this morning that the new regional envoy Sue Gray is not attending the prime minister’s regional summit today is because she is “taking a break”.
Gray dramatically resigned as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff on Sunday after a flurry of backlash over her hefty salary and question marks over her influence within government.
She acknowledged in her resignation statement that she had become a “distraction” to the government’s work.
But her absence at Starmer’s regional investment summit at the first-ever meeting of a new Council of the Nations and Regions in Scotland did not go unnoticed.
Pressed over her whereabouts on Friday, cabinet office minister Pat McFadden told LBC: “Sue’s been through a lot, recently.
“I’ve worked with her very closely and I know she has not enjoyed being a public figure, unlike me who can come on your programme and speak for myself and answer any of your questions.
“As an official, she can’t do that. And so given what she’s been through in the last few weeks, she’s decided to take a bit of downtime, take a bit of a break, and I quite understand why.”
He did not specify how long she would be away, but said: “Let’s give her a bit of space and privacy after someone, who as I said, can’t speak up for themselves, finding themselves on the front pages of the newspapers in a way she did not want to be.”
Asked if she was still being paid the same amount she received as Starmer’s chief of staff, McFadden refused to say – and did not even explain if she was still being paid at all.
“Honestly, I don’t want to get into somebody’s contractual details,” he said.
Presenter Nick Ferrari pushed: “They’re not contractual details are they, Pat? I’m not asking level of salary, I’ve shelved that...”
“You know the level of salary!” The minister said.
“OK, she is still getting £170,000 then?” Ferrari replied, referring to her salary when she was Starmer’s chief of staff – a sum which was £3,000 more than the PM’s own salary.
But McFadden refused to respond, saying the government will be moving on now she has left No.10.
The minister was also asked on Times Radio if Gray was involved in a battle to secure a severance package, as some newspapers reported this morning, amid negotiations for a salary in her role.
He said he was “sure” she would be entitled to severance pay, depending on what her contract was, but refused to “comment on anybody’s individual circumstances”.