Keir Starmer brushes off questions about missing Sue Gray’s sacked aide at ‘really important’ summit with UK nations and mayors as ministers say he is ‘taking a break’ in between of spitting claims on the degradation reward.

Keir Starmer squirmed today as he wondered why his sacked top aide Sue Gray missed a summit of “nations and regions”.

The Prime Minister refused to engage with repeated questions about why his former chief of staff did not take part in the “really important” event in Edinburgh.

Ms Gray quit in dramatic fashion last weekend after months of infighting when the Prime Minister replaced her to be his envoy to the UK’s devolved institutions.

Ministers have insisted that he is “taking a break” and that he “has been through a lot”.

However, doubts have been raised over whether he will ever take up the duties amid claims he is demanding a better compensation package and pay.

Pressed on whether he was embarrassed that Mrs Gray had not been at the meeting, Sir Keir told broadcasters: “We have just had the first meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions.

“I’ve had every first minister here, the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and every mayor from across England.

“We’ve had a very constructive discussion about economic growth, about jobs, about investment and even today we’ve had a new £24 billion investment announcement in the UK.

“When we won the elections I set out to change the country for the better, to stabilize the economy and these investments that are taking place… are a rhythm of our Investment Summit.”

Keir Starmer refused to take part with repeated questions about why his former chief of staff did not take part in the “really important” event in Edinburgh

Ms Gray quit in dramatic fashion last weekend after months of infighting when the Prime Minister replaced her to be his envoy to the UK’s devolved institutions.

When asked why Ms Gray was not present, she said: “For everyone listening and watching this, who cares to know, will there be investment in my region? Will there be jobs where I live? The answer is that today we have a long way to go to collaborate with this purpose.

Asked whether he would approve Ms Gray’s severance pay, the Prime Minister repeated that “we had a very important meeting today”.

Asked this morning in a round of interviews why Mrs Gray was not going to the summit of UK regional and national leaders, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said she had “been through a lot things”.

“Sue has been through a lot in the last few weeks,” he said.

‘I have worked with her, she is a great colleague. He’s taking a little break now and I think we should give him time in privacy to do that.”

The senior minister told LBC: “I know he has not enjoyed being a figure in the public eye unlike me, who can come on your show and speak for me and answer any of your questions.

“As an official, she can’t do that. Given what she’s been through in the last few weeks, she’s decided to take a little inactivity, a little rest, and I quite understand why.”

Asked how long his break would be, McFadden said: “I don’t think it will be long, but let’s give him some space and privacy after someone who, like I said, can’t speak for himself , finding themselves on the front pages of the newspapers in a way that she did not want to be”.

The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster did not reveal whether Ms Gray would continue to be paid while she was away from work.

Downing Street declined to say why Ms Gray was taking time off work, with a No 10 spokeswoman saying it was “not usual for us to comment on individual members of staff”.

No 10 insisted that Friday’s meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions was “by no means the extent of our engagement” and that Ms Gray would have an “important role” going forward.

“The aim of the reset is that we will work much more closely and collaboratively with both devolved governments and mayors,” the spokeswoman said.

“So you can expect to see, as you have already done, much more continued close engagement and the new envoy will play an important role in that.”

She declined to “add” to the comment about Ms Gray’s position, which the former official quoted in a statement announcing her resignation on Sunday.

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said Ms Gray would be responsible for “ensuring collective working” between Whitehall, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, as well as promoting links with regional mayors.

“It will play a vital role in strengthening relations between nations and regions,” the spokesman said.

Sir Keir convenes metro mayors and devolved first ministers for the first meeting of his Council of Nations and Regions in Scotland.

He hailed the announcement of around £24 billion in investment for green projects across the UK as a “vote of confidence” in the UK ahead of the talks, which will focus on boosting growth in different parts of the country .

However, rumors about Mrs Gray could overshadow the proceedings.

Details of his new role were expected to be announced by the Cabinet Office earlier this week, but they have not been forthcoming.

According to the Guido Fawkes website, Ms Gray is demanding a better severance package for her former role of £170,000 and a better salary in her new job.

Downing Street sources admitted there were “things to iron out” to decide the final details of Mrs Gray’s new role.

Cabinet ministers have insisted there is a strong team in Downing Street despite Ms Gray being replaced by former campaign manager Morgan McSweeney after weeks of leaks and hostile briefings against her.

Ms Gray, a former civil servant with decades of experience in Whitehall, cited “intense comments about my position” that risked becoming a “distraction” when she stepped down.

Sir Keir will meet First Ministers, Deputy First Ministers and regional mayors today as part of an effort to “re-engineer” the way the UK Government interacts with devolved powers and discuss how to boost business ahead of the Next week’s International Investment Summit.

Labor leaders, including Sadiq Khan, welcomed the meeting, but SNP First Minister John Swinney vowed to use the meeting to discuss how to “stop the austerity agenda”.

Ahead of the council’s first meeting, Downing Street announced around £24 billion in private investment for UK clean energy projects, including Iberdrola, one of Europe’s biggest energy companies, which to double its support from £12bn to £24bn through Scottish Power over the next four. years

Sir Keir said: “Today’s investments are a huge vote of confidence in this Government and our relentless approach to driving growth across the UK.

“Whether you’re in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England, we’re creating the conditions for businesses to thrive, and our International Investment Summit will be a springboard for every part of the UK to be an engine of innovation and investment.

“Today I am convening the first Council of Nations and Regions, because it is when we work together in the spirit of genuine partnership that we can deliver the real change that people want to see and improve opportunities for all.”

Asked this morning in a round of interviews why Mrs Gray was not going to the summit of UK regional and national leaders, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said she had “been through a lot things”.

Swinney said he would “talk frankly about the big issues” north of the border, adding that he “hopes to persuade the Prime Minister of the transformative potential of public sector investment to stop the austerity agenda”.

Ahead of the meeting, Sir Keir appointed Poppy Gustafsson, former head of cyber security firm Darktrace, to be his new “investment minister” in a bid to demonstrate the government’s commitment to strengthening ties with business .

Downing Street said the Prime Minister is also asking ministers to review how their departments can support the Investment Office, which will be led by Ms Gustafsson, who will receive a peerage.