Sue Gray 'was working on Partygate when talks with Keir Starmer began'

Former senior servant Sue Gray held secret talks with Sir Keir Starmer while she was advising the cross-party team investigating the circumstances surrounding partygate, a report is suspected to reveal.

Ms Gray, who led the Government investigation into allegations of parties being held in Downing Street during lockdown, is set to switch from her high-ranking Whitehall position to take a job as the Labour Party leader's chief-of-staff.

An update on a review into the circumstances surrounding her departure from the Civil Service is due to be presented to MPs today. Several reports have suggested Ms Gray could be found to have breached the Civil Service Code with her job move.

The report is suspected to find that Ms Gray entered into negotiations with the party while the probe into whether former PM Boris Johnson misled the Commons with his assurances that Covid rules were followed in No 10 during the pandemic was ongoing, The Daily Telegraph has claimed.

Labour denied that any approach was made while Ms Gray worked in the Cabinet Office's ethics unit that was corresponding with the committee over its investigation into Mr Johnson.