UK 'Partygate' scandal investigator can work for opposition: watchdog

LONDON - A former senior civil servant who led a probe into the "Partygate" scandal that contributed to the downfall of Boris Johnson was on Friday cleared to become chief-of-staff to the UK opposition party leader.

READ: Boris Johnson lied to MPs over Covid parties: committee

The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) ruled that Sue Gray could take up the post working for Labour's Keir Starmer in September.

ACOBA acts as a watchdog on appointments of former ministers and senior government officials to prevent conflicts of interests and to maintain confidence in the impartiality of the civil service.

After news of the planned appointment broke in March, allies of former prime minister Johnson reacted with fury, claiming he had been the victim of left-wing bias.

In her report, Gray found "a failure of leadership and judgement" in Johnson's 10 Downing Street over the hosting of multiple, drunken parties during Covid lockdowns.

Supporters of Johnson, however, were outraged by Gray's move to Labour.

"So much for an impartial civil service, the Gray report now looks like a left wing stitch up against a Tory Prime Minister," tweeted former senior minister Jacob Rees-Mogg in March.

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries agreed: "The Gray report was a stitch up of (the) PM."

Unnamed Labour party sources told the domestic Press Association news agency that Gray formally accepted the job offer on Friday after resigning in March, paving the way for advice given by ACOBA to be published.

In that advice, ACOBA said a six-month waiting period should be observed, despite pressure from some to impose the maximum two years.

Starmer said he was "delighted that Sue Gray will be joining Labour as my chief of staff".

"Sue will lead our work preparing for a mission-led Labour government. She brings unrivalled experience on how the machinery of government works and is a woman of great integrity," he said.

"I'm also grateful to ACOBA for their work. We have followed the process and accept their advice,” he added.

Britain is due to go the polls in a general election before the end of 2024.