Partygate investigator Sue Gray offered top job by Labour leader Starmer

Senior civilian servant Sue Gray, who investigated Covid lockdown gatherings successful Downing Street, has resigned and has been offered the occupation of Labour person Sir Keir Starmer's main of staff.

A Labour spokesperson said: "We recognize she hopes to judge the relation taxable to the mean procedures."

Under the presumption of her civilian work contract, the assignment would beryllium checked by the Advisory Committee connected Business Appointments (Acoba).

But its rulings are not binding.

Ms Gray herself has yet to comment.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "We tin corroborate that Sue Gray has resigned from the station of Second Permanent Secretary successful the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). This was accepted by the section Permanent Secretary and Cabinet Secretary with contiguous effect.

"We volition not beryllium commenting further connected idiosyncratic unit matters. We are reviewing the circumstances nether which she resigned."

Downing Street said it would not remark further connected an "individual idiosyncratic matter".

Ms Gray's study connected the Partygate ungraded past twelvemonth contributed to Boris Johnson's downfall, prompting galore Conservative MPs to telephone connected the then-prime curate to resign.

She led the civilian work probe into allegations of coronavirus rule-breaking astatine No 10 successful December 2021, going from an influential but little-known arbiter of behaviour successful authorities to a household sanction seen arsenic holding Mr Johnson's destiny successful her hands.

Hearings successful an enquiry by the Commons Privileges Committee into absorption claims Mr Johnson misled MPs astir what helium knew astir the lockdown gatherings successful authorities buildings are expected to statesman successful the coming weeks.

The enquiry was acceptable up by MPs past April.

Labour has had a vacancy for Sir Keir's main of unit for immoderate time. A enactment spokesperson said that the recruitment process was "ongoing" but "nobody has been offered the job".

Prominent allies of Mr Johnson person been speedy to comment.

Former Business Secretary and Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg tweeted: "So overmuch for an impartial Civil Service, the Gray study present looks similar a near helping stitch up against a Tory Prime Minister."

"Whilst penning report, she utilized QC who tweeted retired pro Labour anti gov [government] tweets whilst Alistair Campbell heaped praise upon her. Her comms [communications] adjunct briefed against Johnson from time 1.

"The Gray study was a stitch up of PM and CSs [civil servants]," she said.

Asked astir the speculation surrounding Ms Gray's future, the premier minister's spokesperson said Acoba would reappraisal immoderate caller occupation against the government's concern assignment rules, and supply a provisional recommendation.

"And past evidently the recommendations are past made to the applicable section oregon curate depending connected who they are," helium said.

As the levelling up secretary, Michael Gove was Ms Gray's boss.