Sir Keir Starmer missed Tuesday’s weekly shadow cabinet meeting because of a briefing with security officials. While the event was chaired by Angela Rayner, the deputy leader, the person whose authority is most acutely felt whenever the leader is absent is increasingly a non-politician: Starmer’s newly appointed chief of staff, Sue Gray.
In the coming days Gray, the former official best known publicly for leading an inquiry into lockdown-breaking gatherings in No 10, is expected to tell colleagues precisely when Starmer’s top team can begin talks with the civil service in preparation for government should Labour win the next election.
Starmer has requested talks, and Rishi Sunak has permitted them. But Gray’s position until now has been that starting in earnest would risk the impression
