PM's former aide Sue Gray says she 'fears for Stormont'

Baroness Sue Gray, former chief of staff to Sir Keir Starmer and one-time civil servant in Northern Ireland, has said she "fears for Stormont".

She said people in Northern Ireland "deserve action and decisions", which she accused of being too slow at times, due to bureaucracy within the power-sharing institutions.

Baroness Gray left Northern Ireland after being overlooked for the top job in the civil service in 2020.

She went on to become Boris Johnson's principal advisor on the union and was in Sir Keir's government after Labour won the 2024 general election, but quit just months later due to rows over her salary as chief of staff.

Baroness Gray was speaking at a panel event organised by the Social Democratic and Labour Party exploring constitutional change, coinciding with the 10-year anniversary of Brexit.

The former civil servant said as a result of slow decision-making, she believed that Northern Ireland should have a number of metro mayors, like in England, with more authority to take regional decisions.

Pressed on how many she would want to see, she suggested at least two - Belfast and Londonderry.

Asked about the prospect of Andy Burnham becoming the next PM if he secures the Labour leadership, Baroness Gray said Burnham had a lot of skills to bring to the role.

"I think we've got time to the next election," she said.

"People will see… actions speak louder than words.

"If Andy is the successor his experience, not just in working in Manchester and Whitehall, he can bring a lot of experience to it."