Starmer says 'I'm in control' after Gray's salary is leaked

Sir Keir Starmer insists that he is in "complete control" of his government as he heads to his party conference on Sunday mired in controversy over the salary of his chief of staff and the acceptance of luxury gifts by himself and his wife.

- DAVID MADDOX

The PM gave a round of interviews yesterday with regional broadcasters ahead of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool with questions over his decision to accept more than £100,000 in gifts, the role of Sue Gray and a continued row about the cutting of winter fuel payments to pensioners.

Concerns over the power of Ms Gray in government were raised again this week when it was revealed she is paid more as chief of staff than the prime minister. On Wednesday, the BBC revealed it had been told that Ms Gray asked for and was given a salary of £170,000 after July’s election, about £3,000 more than Sir Keir.

Already there had been surprise over her influence in making appointments to senior jobs and her presence on his trip to Washington DC last week to discuss the war in Ukraine and Middle East with Joe Biden. Pressed on Ms Gray’s pay by BBC South East’s political editor Charlotte Wright, the prime minister said he was “not going to get into discussions about individual salaries”.