Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has asserted that he is “completely in control” following reports that his chief of staff, Sue Gray, has received a pay rise that now puts her salary above his. This declaration comes in response to a BBC report revealing internal conflicts regarding staff salaries within the government, just months after Labour’s general election victory.
During an interview with BBC South East political editor Charlotte Wright, Starmer was questioned about off-the-record briefings concerning Gray. He emphasized his focus on delivering change, stating, “We were elected on a big mandate to deliver change. I am determined that we are going to do that.”
Additionally, Sir Keir addressed the decision to accept corporate hospitality from Arsenal football club, noting that as Prime Minister, he could no longer use his season ticket. He explained that the Premier League club has provided two corporate seats at the Emirates Stadium, and it would incur higher security costs for him to use his regular seat. He concluded that while he would prefer to be in the stands, accepting the corporate ticket was a “perfectly sensible arrangement.”