Starmer Asserts Control Amid Internal Turmoil Over Sue Gray’s Salary Dispute

[Social Media]

 

Sir Keir Starmer has firmly denied losing control of his government, even as tensions flare within Downing Street regarding Sue Gray's salary. The Prime Minister was compelled to defend his leadership after the revelation of Gray's £170,000 salary, which surpasses his own, sparked internal discord. The leak, seemingly from Whitehall, has raised suspicions of a politically motivated attempt to undermine Gray.

 

 

Efforts are now underway to trace the source of the leak, as frustrations surrounding Gray's role as Starmer’s chief of staff mount. Gray, known for overseeing the "partygate" investigation into former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has become a lightning rod for discontent among Labour advisers. The controversy threatens to cast a shadow over Labour's upcoming conference in Liverpool, the first in 15 years with the party in power rather than opposition.

 

The conference, originally intended as a moment of celebration following Labour’s election victory, now risks being overshadowed by the internal strife surrounding Gray's salary and broader criticisms of Starmer's leadership. In a series of regional interviews ahead of the conference, Starmer was confronted with direct questions about his control over the situation and whether he had "lost grip" of his government.

 

"I’m completely in control," Starmer stated. "I’m focused, and every day the message from me to the team is exactly the same: we have to deliver. We were elected on a big mandate to deliver change, and I am determined that we are going to do that."

 

Pressed further on Gray’s salary, Starmer refused to engage in discussions about individual pay. "I’m not going to get into discussions about individual salaries of any members of my staff. I’m sure you wouldn’t expect me to," he responded to the BBC. However, concerns persist, particularly given that Gray’s pay was reportedly agreed upon outside formal procedures, raising questions about who initially proposed the figure.

 

Signs of growing dissatisfaction within Starmer's team have emerged, with some advisers on lower salaries expressing frustration. One Labour adviser remarked, "Sue is seen as the driver behind a clampdown on both overall Spad [special adviser] numbers and pay, so there was a great deal of surprise when it emerged she was setting records for her own pay." This frustration has fueled calls for Starmer to take decisive action, with one ally urging him to "read the f------ riot act" to prevent further leaks.

 

The situation has even led to speculation about future departures from the government. Simon Case, Britain’s top civil servant, is rumored to be preparing to resign following the conference season, with sources citing his strained relationship with Gray as a potential contributing factor. 

 

Beyond the Gray controversy, Starmer has faced scrutiny over his acceptance of donations and gifts, including more than £100,000 worth of free tickets and personal items since 2019. Defending his actions, the Prime Minister cited security concerns as the reason for accepting corporate tickets to Arsenal football matches, saying, "Since I’ve been Prime Minister, the security advice is don’t go in the stands, not least because it’ll cost a fortune to the taxpayer."

 

However, critics have noted that Starmer received numerous free tickets during his tenure as opposition leader, before security concerns were a significant issue. Starmer has also defended donations for clothing and glasses, declaring, "The important thing in all of this is that we follow the rules, which is really important to me, and make the declarations so that everything is transparent."

 

While some of Starmer’s supporters, like Baroness Harman, have suggested he could have handled the donations issue more gracefully, Harman acknowledged that it was "not a hanging offence." Instead, she proposed Starmer admit it was a misstep and move on.

 

Amid all these controversies, Starmer has also acknowledged the difficulties faced by the NHS in Wales, which is under Labour control, describing the system as in "desperate" need of reform. With record-high waiting lists and persistently poor health outcomes, Starmer's comments reflect the challenges his party faces in delivering the change it promised during the election.

 

As tensions over Sue Gray's salary, leadership questions, and donations persist, Starmer’s ability to steer his government through these crises will be tested, particularly as the Labour Party conference approaches. In his own words, however, Starmer remains confident: "I’m completely in control."

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-21

 

 

 

[jippytum]

Never has a new UK Prime minister with a massive majority had such a dismal start to his premiership than Starmer. 

[Thingamabob]

Starmer needs to rapidly improve on all fronts. Nothing much can be done about his appearance and charisma deficit, but at least get a grip on those working for him.

 

 

[blazes]

Much ado about nothing..

 

He is an Arsenal supporter.  I too would strive to be Prime Minister if it meant getting free tickets at the Emirates.

[JonnyF]

It is all going wrong for free gear Keir.

 

Can't even trust his allies. 

 

Labour need to replace him.

[hotandsticky]

7 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

It is all going wrong for free gear Keir.

 

Can't even trust his allies. 

 

Labour need to replace him.

 

 

 

Are there any real Socialists left?..............................Oh yes, they had Corbyn didn't they.

[Bday Prang]

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

It is all going wrong for free gear Keir.

 

Can't even trust his allies. 

 

Labour need to replace him.

                 Hope fully   Soon to be out of here, Two tier, Free gear , Sir  Kier ,  The labour peer  

                I'm sure the tabloids will make a better job of the Headline than my effort,  but seriously he really isn't doing very well  at all. 

                  The media seem to have smelt blood and could well be building up to the sort of hate campaign that they normally reserve for  mortally wounded prime ministers who's days are numbered    I doubt they will have to look very hard or dig very deep to uncover material that will discredit him and his cronies further     

                   If it was the Tories the resignations and defections would have started already ,  but non of  these lot have anywhere to go . Reform certainly won't want any of them

                    Rather worrying is the thought that if he was removed Angela Raynor might succeed him, all be it temporarily until they can find a proper replacement  as apposed to a "box ticker"  Bet she could do some serious damage if left unsupervised

She would be highly unlikely to resign, as neither MacDonald's or  Wetherspoons are taking on at the moment and the benefits system is tightening up

                    Starmer on the other hand will probably never have to work again , well not until all his freebies run out 

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

                 Hope fully   Soon to be out of here, Two tier, Free gear , Sir  Kier ,  The labour peer  

                I'm sure the tabloids will make a better job of the Headline than my effort,  but seriously he really isn't doing very well  at all. 

                  The media seem to have smelt blood and could well be building up to the sort of hate campaign that they normally reserve for  mortally wounded prime ministers who's days are numbered    I doubt they will have to look very hard or dig very deep to uncover material that will discredit him and his cronies further     

                   If it was the Tories the resignations and defections would have started already ,  but non of  these lot have anywhere to go . Reform certainly won't want any of them

                    Rather worrying is the thought that if he was removed Angela Raynor might succeed him, all be it temporarily until they can find a proper replacement  as apposed to a "box ticker"  Bet she could do some serious damage if left unsupervised

She would be highly unlikely to resign, as neither MacDonald's or  Wetherspoons are taking on at the moment and the benefits system is tightening up

                    Starmer on the other hand will probably never have to work again , well not until all his freebies run out 

 

He's under a lot of pressure.

 

Every post of his on Twitter is greeted with absolute derision. I have also made my feelings felt, but obviously I tread very carefully with my "free speech" so that I don't end up occupying the recently vacated cell of a drug dealer or rapist that he released early.

 

He doesn't like criticism.

[Chomper Higgot]

10 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

He's under a lot of pressure.

 

Every post of his on Twitter is greeted with absolute derision. I have also made my feelings felt, but obviously I tread very carefully with my "free speech" so that I don't end up occupying the recently vacated cell of a drug dealer or rapist that he released early.

 

He doesn't like criticism.

What pressure is he under Jonny, it’s five years to the next election.

 

Plenty of time to make inroads into the mess left by the past 14 years of mismanagement and corruption.

[brewsterbudgen]

Starmer knows he has to take tough decisions , be unpopular and not pander to either wing of his party.  As @Chomper Higgot says, there's a long time until the next election.  More power to him.

[BritManToo]

No need to fix any corruption, he just wants to plug the leaks.

[Chomper Higgot]

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No need to fix any corruption, he just wants to plug the leaks.

The election got rid of the vast majority of corruption.

 

The CPS can now get on with the job of investigating and prosecuting those who’ve had their noses in the trough of the chumocracy, £Billions syphoned off need to be chased down.

[Bday Prang]

45 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Starmer knows he has to take tough decisions , be unpopular and not pander to either wing of his party.  As @Chomper Higgot says, there's a long time until the next election.  More power to him.

                 Yeah right ,   Do I take money from the defenceless vulnerable  pensioners living hand to mouth   and give a huge inflation busting wage rise  to the train drivers who  backed by a powerful trade union  ( also one of my many  financial sponsors)  are threatening to continue the endless strikes,  Or vice versa ?     I bet he spent a very long time agonising over that "difficult decision"    

                 So now that he has no need to listen to either wing of "his" party its his way or the highway is it ?     are we now at the mercy of a dictator 

                  He was not voted in on the basis of any of his party's stated manifesto , he was voted in on the back of a protest vote by the   rather small proportion of the electorate  many of whom were prepared to cut their nose off to spite their face, and  most  of who will now be mindful of the well known adage "better the devil you know"  

                  

                  

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Plenty of time to make inroads into the mess left by the past 14 years of mismanagement and corruption

           Plenty of time to continue the endless repetitive whinging about 14 years of an admittedly useless Tory  government whilst he and his new gang of incompetents  prepare their own memorable legacy which will no doubt be the same as the  one left by the last labour government.

          I cant imagine anything improving for anybody ever again regardless of which gang of self serving idiots is in the driving seat.   

         Deciding whether to  vote for the Tories or labour   is like having to choose which terminal disease one would prefer, I think both party's are already  fully aware of that and always have been.  its the electorate that needs to wake up. as  the  politicians have no inclination to change the system that has served them so well at our expense for such a long time.

[Chomper Higgot]

16 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

                 Yeah right ,   Do I take money from the defenceless vulnerable  pensioners living hand to mouth   and give a huge inflation busting wage rise  to the train drivers who  backed by a powerful trade union  ( also one of my many  financial sponsors)  are threatening to continue the endless strikes,  Or vice versa ?     I bet he spent a very long time agonising over that "difficult decision"    

                 So now that he has no need to listen to either wing of "his" party its his way or the highway is it ?     are we now at the mercy of a dictator 

                  He was not voted in on the basis of any of his party's stated manifesto , he was voted in on the back of a protest vote by the   rather small proportion of the electorate  many of whom were prepared to cut their nose off to spite their face, and  most  of who will now be mindful of the well known adage "better the devil you know"  

                  

                  

He hasn’t taken any money from ‘defenseless vulnerable pensioners’, the winter fuel allowance is now means tested.

 

Former and now retired colleagues of mine retired on pensions that put them in the 40% tax bracket will no longer get the winter fuel allowance, I expect t they are gutted.

 

All pensioners will still receive triple locked increases to their state pension, a guaranteed annual increase most working people can only dream of.

 

I do however look forward to the budget.

[Bday Prang]

53 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The election got rid of the vast majority of corruption.

 

The CPS can now get on with the job of investigating and prosecuting those who’ve had their noses in the trough of the chumocracy, £Billions syphoned off need to be chased down.

LIke that is ever going to happen , and even if it did , has" two tier free gear" Starmer decided which prisoners will be released tp make room for this batch of new inmates when they have  faced the full force of his law

[retarius]

I saw the Labour Cabinet's approval; ratings. Starmer lost 48 points since the election (the most of anyone). Rachel Reeves also lost big time. The honey moon didn't last long. Starmer's rating (I'm sure is was an aberration) was lower that Boris's when he was kicked out. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/21/honeymoon-over-keir-starmer-now-less-popular-than-rishi-sunak

Edited September 22 by retarius
add reference

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

LIke that is ever going to happen , and even if it did , has" two tier free gear" Starmer decided which prisoners will be released tp make room for this batch of new inmates when they have  faced the full force of his law

Do you think the fraud involving £billions of tax payers money perpetrated under the previous Government should or should not be pursued or are you simply indulging in negativity?

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, retarius said:

I saw the Labour Cabinet's approval; ratings. Starmer lost 48 points since the election (the most of anyone). Rachel Reeves also lost big time. The honey moon didn't last long. Starmer's rating (I'm sure is was an aberration) was lower that Boris's when he was kicked out. 

Labour have made very clear that they are going to tackle the tax injustices that the very wealthy enjoy.

 

They are worrying some powerful people.

 

The rightwing client press are responding accordingly.

With 5 years until the next election ‘popularity’ is not an issue, fixing the mess Labour inherited is.

 

 

 

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

He hasn’t taken any money from ‘defenseless vulnerable pensioners’, the winter fuel allowance is now means tested.

 

Former and now retired colleagues of mine retired on pensions that put them in the 40% tax bracket will no longer get the winter fuel allowance, I expect t they are gutted.

 

All pensioners will still receive triple locked increases to their state pension, a guaranteed annual increase most working people can only dream of.

 

I do however look forward to the budget.

Remind me again of the cut off point for this means testing, will the people who are supposed to survive on  the state pension of £221.20 per week be entitled to it?   

 

"All pensioners will still receive triple locked increases to their state pension, a guaranteed annual increase most working people can only dream of".

  Unless they are members of one of the trade unions who starmer wishes to keep  on board.     Percentage wise the annual pension increases may appear generous to you, but any percentage of a tiny amount is still a tiny amount.  The UK pension , the lowest in the developed world,  has a long way to go before it provides a liveable income

You must be the only person looking forward to the budget, do you somehow  think you will be better off, or do you just relish the prospect of  others being made poorer in the name of socialism 

 

Edited September 22 by Bday Prang

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Do you think the fraud involving £billions of tax payers money perpetrated under the previous Government should or should not be pursued or are you simply indulging in negativity?

 

 

           Of course any fraud should be thoroughly investigated and those involved punished,  however fraud is not limited to Tories,   It is endemic throughout politics, just like boxing and horse racing there is too much money involved for it not to be.  I doubt there are enough prison spaces in the entire system to house all those involved 

           Perhaps a cost / benefit study would be appropriate, obviously taking into account the inflated salaries of those who make a full time career of conducting such inquiries. 

          Forgive my negativity but I can see little on the horizon to be positive about 

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

With 5 years until the next election ‘popularity’ is not an issue, fixing the mess Labour inherited is.

 They won't be fixing anything  anytime soon  mark my words .  Their main priority  will be creating a similar mess to greet  the next administration,  like they did last time.    And so the  endless cycle continues  Ad Nauseum     Maybe Starmer should step aside and give the political genius that is Angela Rayner a chance to shine ?    That would at least be entertaining

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

They are worrying some powerful people.

They are worrying just about everybody 

[Chomper Higgot]

40 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Remind me again of the cut off point for this means testing, will the people who are supposed to survive on  the state pension of £221.20 per week be entitled to it?   

 

"All pensioners will still receive triple locked increases to their state pension, a guaranteed annual increase most working people can only dream of".

  Unless they are members of one of the trade unions who starmer wishes to keep  on board.     Percentage wise the annual pension increases may appear generous to you, but any percentage of a tiny amount is still a tiny amount.  The UK pension , the lowest in the developed world,  has a long way to go before it provides a liveable income

You must be the only person looking forward to the budget, do you somehow  think you will be better off, or do you just relish the prospect of  others being made poorer in the name of socialism 

 

So you don’t like working people collectively negotiating for better pay and conditions.

 

I look forward to the budget addressing structural inequalities within the tax laws.

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

33 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

           Of course any fraud should be thoroughly investigated and those involved punished,  however fraud is not limited to Tories,   It is endemic throughout politics, just like boxing and horse racing there is too much money involved for it not to be.  I doubt there are enough prison spaces in the entire system to house all those involved 

           Perhaps a cost / benefit study would be appropriate, obviously taking into account the inflated salaries of those who make a full time career of conducting such inquiries. 

          Forgive my negativity but I can see little on the horizon to be positive about 

Perhaps go after the big numbers first:

 

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2024-07-25/debates/A07FA97A-AE40-4698-9AE1-B92F280D27D5/Covid-19PandemicCostToPublicPurseOfPublicProcurementFraud#:~:text=Latest estimates show £10.5,in the covid-19 schemes.
 

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

22 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

They are worrying just about everybody 

Not me, I’m not I the least bit worried.

[RayC]

So based on a piece of anti-Labour rhetoric from Conservative Central Office's propaganda unit (aka The Daily Telegraph), the Labour Party which has been in power for 3 months, has a parliamentary majority of 174 and does not need to call an election until 2029, is under pressure and is about to ditch its' leader.

 

Sound reasoning or wishful thinking on the part of the anti-Labour lobby? 

[James105]

3 minutes ago, RayC said:

So based on a piece of anti-Labour rhetoric from Conservative Central Office's propaganda unit (aka The Daily Telegraph), the Labour Party which has been in power for 3 months, has a parliamentary majority of 174 and does not need to call an election until 2029, is under pressure and is about to ditch its' leader.

 

Sound reasoning or wishful thinking on the part of the anti-Labour lobby? 

 

It's not just the telegraph though is it?  Labour have lost:

 

1. The pensioners

2. The working class

3. The leftists

 

Even the likes of Novara media and Owen Jones are anti-Labour now.   According to a times YouGov poll 1 in 7 people who voted for Labour regret doing so.   His popularity ratings have already sunk lower than Sunak.   Those Labour MPs you cite probably want to stay as MPs for longer than a single term and with such a hypocritical, weak, incompetent, lying grifter of a leader who is trashing Labour's reputation and making the UK a global laughing stock, just how long do you think they will put up with this?  

[mokwit]

Just now, RayC said:

So based on a piece of anti-Labour rhetoric from Conservative Central Office's propaganda unit (aka The Daily Telegraph), the Labour Party which has been in power for 3 months, has a parliamentary majority of 174 and does not need to call an election until 2029, is under pressure and is about to ditch its' leader.

 

Sound reasoning or wishful thinking on the part of the anti-Labour lobby? 

You are quite right. They have no shame, no morals, no honour, no integrity, so they are hardly going to ungovernment themselves*.

 

*applies to Conservatives too, it's kinda a politician thing.

[mokwit]

Just now, James105 said:

and making the UK a global laughing stock

In this he is greatly assisted by Foreign Minister David Lammy.