How PM's reshuffle deals a big blow to the Tory plotters

The plot by the right-wing press to destabilise the new government has been busted.

- JOHN RENTOUL

They were out to get Keir Starmer, using his chief of staff Sue Gray as a proxy. She was hounded for two crimes: telling the truth about Boris Johnson, and being paid more than the prime minister.

But now Starmer has acted decisively to frustrate the Conservatives laying siege to his fledgling administration. Gray’s position was starting to become untenable, because she had become “the story” and, more significantly, because she had failed to gain the trust of the special advisers who are needed to make the government work.

It was suggested that she would be “gone by Christmas”, but Starmer has moved quickly to end that story and to install Morgan McSweeney, his election-winning strategist, as chief of staff instead – with a slew of further political appointments to strengthen No 10.