The politics behind Sue Gray's plan for 'civic assemblies'
It's been five months since Sue Gray started working Keir StarmerUS Chief of Staff, which was her first attempt at party politics. And during this time, the former party investigator established herself as a key figure in the close circle of the Labor leader.
Insider reporting duly informed by columnist Patrick Maguire of The TimesGray is believed to have developed a power within Labor Party all her own – but what she dutifully and exclusively uses for Starmer's chosen purposes.
Thus, commentators refer to the “cult of Sue Grey”, with the all-powerful operator credited with streamlining and professionalizing Starmer's political activities during the crucial pre-election period. More broadly, as a former mandarin, Gray both embodies and fulfills Labour's readiness for government—at least according to Labour's mythmaking. Her appointment was Starmer's latest and most totemic move for Whitehall officials.
But”the Sue Gray myth» began to break down in recent weeks. Her role in managing Starmer's crises has put Gray at the forefront of recent failures – as 28 billion pounds pledge and by-election in Rochdale. Characterized by varying shades of LOTO indecision, these episodes inevitably involve Starmer's “fixer”. Reports of a brutal investigation into the leak followed 28 billion pounds the fall, moreover, hardly vindicates Labour's 'grey myth'.
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And today she was in the headlines again – but this time, interestingly, as part of an apparent political blitz. The former Whitehall mainstay wants to move the decision-making process beyond and below the corridors she once trod for “citizens' meetings”.
The Times there was an inside track, please A forthcoming biography of Tom Baldwin on the Labor leader. Baldwin boasts that his account is based on “interviews with [Starmer], family members, close friends and advisors”; and Gray while she worked only under Starmer for several months, is an important part of the equation. Speaking to Baldwin, Gray mentioned the “transformational” success of civil juries in Ireland that reached consensus for constitutional changes, including the lifting of the ban on abortion and the legalization of gay marriage.
The idea of introducing “citizens' assemblies” to discuss controversial policies is certainly not new to British politics. Former Conservative MP Rory Stewart has proposed the creation of such a body as part of his plan to deal with the EU withdrawal from his ill-fated bid to replace Theresa May as prime minister. It is also a proposal championed by a number of constitutional reform groups and, it would seem, Starmer a Protestant with a flare at a labor conference last year.
There is, therefore, potentially strong at first glance an argument for having a randomly selected but representative group of citizens listen to expert testimony and advise ministers on policy. Put simply, such bodies could address contentious issues that are central to British political discourse – perhaps most pertinently those concerning how the burden of tackling climate change should be shared.
Labor to introduce citizens' assemblies after success of 'transformation' in Ireland
More than the politics of the move, supporters argue that the policy doubles as an eloquent critique of the over-centralization of Westminster and our confrontational regime of politics – both of which Starmer they say to shun. Thus, in contentious areas such as housing, devolution and House of Lords reform, Gray suggests that “the will of the people” can prevail over that of questionable MPs (and Lords) in complex parliamentary showdowns.
Still, there's no getting away from the politics of Gray's recent comments. In accordance with The Times The report says Labor is in the process of “developing plans” – meaning there is no indication yet of how citizens' assemblies will work in practice. There is no suggestion as to how the party would ensure that such a body would be both “random” and “representative”; nor any hints as to how Gray would cope with a host of other logistical and financial challenges.
But her comments perhaps speak to a more significant dynamic at play Labor Partya political laboratory in which Gray, who is responsible for preparing the party for government, acts as a leading scientist.
Indeed, put aside the weirdness of the “announcement” (which you might reasonably expect to come from Angela Rayner as shadow promotion, the housing secretary, or from one of her junior team members — like Florence Eshalomi, in charge of for democracy) , and politics is very telling for Keir StarmerThe central dilemma of the Labor leader.
That is: how does Starmer hone a clear, inspiring vision for “change” without conceding ground in the debate on fiscal restraint – into which Labor has recently invested so many resources? Or, to put it more simply: how does Labor reconcile its supposed desire to be radical with its financial probity, as required by its rigid “rules”? Sue Grey, reportedly tasked with dealing with such competing political strands, is once again at the forefront of this approach.
It's no secret that Labor has problems in this regard; indeed, Gray's comments on the citizens' meetings came days after the party had retracted them 28 billion pounds “albatross» for a sharply softened clean energy policy. Step back and Starmer admits that by sticking rigidly to the Conservative Party's economic plans and messaging, he risks giving up electoral windfalls to the opposition party in a “swing election”.
Politics like “citizens' assemblies” are simply designed to complete this cycle. This is intended to signal “change” while causing limited consternation in the shadow treasury. (Of course, another way of looking at the policy is that Starmer found a way to build consensus for radical policies that could one day appeal to his party's purse strings).
Thus, Gray's comments on the “meeting of citizens” constitute a tell don't show approach to politics. It does not figure in any larger strategy, nor in bringing together the various aspects of Starmer's work; it can reasonably be described as a slur on those who criticize Labor for not living up to their own mantle of “change”.
This brings us to the inevitable political dimension of Gray's “citizens' meeting” comments. For Labour's commitment to the sometimes wet, tell don't show politics carries risks. Indeed, one consequence of Starmer's deliberately keeping his target 'small' as Labor leader is that any signal – however subtle – that he might increase it is met with a flood of criticism conservatives. And after Gray's comments about “civil assemblies”, the Tory apparatchiks clearly sense an opportunity – and blood. Twitter/X furore (which I enjoyed being a part of) is a clear indication of how our politics is evolving — and will continue to evolve — ahead of the general election later this year.
Other critics, who might be generally sympathetic to Starmer's case, might argue that “civil assemblies” are not a panacea, but rather a complex and limited democratic tool that can be used for good or ill, in contribution dependencies and more.
More broadly, after reports that Labor Party softens his proposal in the House of Lords, what policies should Starmer test before the civil jury, apart from housing and devolution? It is not difficult to notice that the project of the “meeting of citizens” cannot be called a plan by itselfbut instead the denial of the plan.
The big risk for Starmer, with his headline-grabbing approach to politics and communications – which consists of broad promises about “radical” initiatives – is that he highlights the void underneath.
Josh Self is the editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Twitter here.
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