SUE Gray opposed ministers blocking Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill, according to reports.
Tories have expressed concern over Gray’s role in the partygate investigation since it emerged that she would be appointed Keir Starmer’s chief of staff – marking a move from a civil service role to one directly in politics.
Johnson said it is “concerning” that the inquiry into whether he lied to MPs over Covid rule-breaking Number 10 will rely on evidence by investigator Gray, given she will now be working for Labour.
The former prime minister and his allies have used Gray’s job change to try to discredit the cross-party Privileges Committee inquiry into whether he lied to the House of Commons over lockdown breaches.
Now an email has been leaked showing Gray’s opposition to the Tories using a Section 35 order to block the Scottish legislation – reportedly sent while she was negotiating to take the job with Labour.
On December 22, it was agreed that Rishi Sunak and the Scottish Secretary to use the Section 35 order to veto the law, which had been passed by politicians from all parties in Holyrood.
Gray sent an email to those discussing the decision to say: “I found reference to S35 difficult, but I found even more difficult the words about stopping the Bill. But as you say, this seems to have been agreed.”
One minister told the Daily Mail they found the email “strange”, arguing they were acting to stop legislation which would be “dangerous for women and children”. The bill in question sets out to make it easier for people to legally change their gender, and lowers the minimum age to do so from 18 to 16.
The minister told the newspaper “One of the most senior civil servants in the country was attempting to block us. We couldn’t understand why.”
The concern from Gray has been used to suggest long-standing links between Gray and Labour, despite Keir Starmer indicating he wouldn’t oppose the UK’s block of the gender law.
Although Scottish Labour backed the bill, Starmer has failed to come out strongly on it.
Gray did not comment on the story, but a friend told the Mail: “Sue worked conscientiously and with great integrity for over 30 years as a civil servant. She gave fearless advice and was respected by colleagues and senior politicians.”
This week, the Privileges Committee also defended its probe, saying it is “not based on the Sue Gray report”.
