Sue Gray broke civil service code over Labour job offer

Former official Sue Gray broke civil service rules after failing to declare contact with Labour over a job offer, a Cabinet Office probe has found.

Ms Gray, who led the inquiry into lockdown gatherings in No 10, was cleared to work for Labour by Parliament's advisory appointments body last week.

It said she could start as Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff in September.

Labour has said that all rules were complied with.

The party said Ms Gray only had one phone call with Sir Keir before she resigned in March, and the conversation did not relate to any government business.

Some Tories had expressed anger that she was offered a job as the Labour leader's chief of staff, arguing it undermined the impartiality of her inquiry into lockdown-breaking parties.

Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin said the Whitehall inquiry found the code "was prima facie broken as a result of the undeclared contact between Ms Gray and the Leader of the Opposition."

He said Ms Gray was given the opportunity to make representations but chose not to do so.