The Labour Government ‘is in free fall’ after Sir Keir Starmer was forced to ditch his powerful chief of staff Sue Gray, a Tory leadership candidate claimed today.Robert Jenrick said Ms Gray’s bombshell exit from No10 showed Sir Keir’s administration was ‘in complete disarray’ after fewer than 100 days in office.The former civil servant has been shuffled to be Sir Keir’s envoy for nations and regions following widespread reports of a bitter Downing Street power struggle.Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s chief adviser who oversaw Labour’s general election campaign, will replace the increasingly embattled Ms Gray as the PM’s new chief of staff.Both the Conservatives and SNP said her departure – as part of a wider shake-up of Sir Keir’s No10 team – showed Labour were in ‘chaos’ after just three months in power.After weeks of bitter briefings about Ms Gray’s role as Sir Keir’s top aide – including claims she was ‘subverting’ Cabinet ministers – the Tories also asked: ‘Who will run the country now?’ The Labour Government ‘is in free fall’ after Sir Keir Starmer was forced to ditch his powerful chief of staff Sue Gray, a Tory leadership candidate claimed today Ms Gray has been shuffled to be the PM’s envoy for nations and regions following reports of a bitter Downing Street power struggle Robert Jenrick said Ms Gray’s bombshell exit from No10 showed Sir Keir’s administration was ‘in complete disarray’ after fewer than 100 days in office Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said the turmoil in Downing Street showed the UK was suffering ‘chaos with Sir Keir’In what has been dubbed a ‘reset’ of Sir Keir’s Downing Street operation in the wake of the damaging ‘freebies’ row, the PM also made four other key appointments today.He named two new deputy chiefs of staff, a new principal private secretary, and a head of a new ‘strategic communications team’ in a bid to stabilise his premiership.Since winning power, the PM has been engulfed in a furious row over his acceptance of lavish gifts and hospitality – including from millionaire peer Lord Alli.Ms Gray’s departure as chief of staff comes amid reported tensions between herself and allies of Mr McSweeney.She was also claimed to have clashed with Cabinet Secretary Simon Case following Labour’s general election win. Among the recent bitter briefings about Ms Gray’s powerful role in No10 were leaks about her £170,000 salary, which is larger than the PM’s.It came as other special advisers saw their pay held down and added to reports of civil war within Sir Keir’s No10 team.Ms Gray – a former top Whitehall official who became known to the public as the author of the Partygate report into illegal lockdown gatherings in Downing Street – this afternoon said she was resigning as Sir Keir’s chief of staff because it was ‘clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction’.In her new role, she will help manage the Government’s relations with local mayors and other devolved authorities.Prior to the departure of Ms Gray, the PM was already facing a tricky choice in naming a new head of the civil service after Mr Case recently confirmed he is leaving as Cabinet Secretary at the end of the year.Mr Case was forced to state his departure was solely to do with his health, following reports he had also been among those to have clashed with Ms Gray in No10. Responding to Ms Gray’s dramatic exit, Mr Jenrick said: ‘Fewer than 100 days in and this Labour Government is in complete disarray.’Starmer is without a national security adviser, private secretary and the most senior civil servant has sped up his exit.’Now, his handpicked chief of staff has been forced out by vicious Labour infighting. This Government is in free fall.’Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said the turmoil in Downing Street showed the UK was suffering ‘chaos with Sir Keir’.His fellow SNP MP, Pete Wishart, said of Ms Gray’s new role:  ‘So looking after the ‘nations’ (presumably Scotland included) and the regions is the consolation job and a place to keep her comfortably out of the way….. Ain’t we the lucky ‘nation’. Among recent bitter briefings about Ms Gray’s powerful role in No10 were leaks about her £170,000 salary, which is larger than the PM’s Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s chief adviser and Labour’s former general election campaign director, will replace Ms Gray as the PM’s new chief of staffPlaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Three months into Keir Starmer’s premiership, it’s clear he cares little about Wales.’Labour promised change, but removing Tory chaos and replacing it with a different kind of Labour chaos still means chaos.’Appointing an envoy for the nations and regions smacks of a PM determined to concentrate his efforts on London and the South East, leaving the rest to the odd visit and photo-op by a senior official whenever it’s electorally convenient.’And how must Labour in Wales, the Labour Welsh Secretary and the Labour First Minister feel?’No wonder Eluned Morgan doesn’t want me to mention Keir Starmer in the Senedd – he’s quite a problem for her, as Wales clearly is to him.’This is cynicism of the highest order and frankly insulting to the people of Wales.’A Conservative Party spokesperson said: ‘In fewer than 100 days Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government has been thrown into chaos – he has lost his chief of staff who has been at the centre of the scandal the Labour Party has been engulfed by.’Sue Gray was brought into deliver a programme for government and all we’ve seen in that time is a government of self-service.’The only question that remains is: who will run the country now?’The PM thanked the former civil servant for ‘all the support she has given me, both in opposition and in Government’. ‘Sue has played a vital role in strengthening our relations with the regions and nations. I am delighted that she will continue to support that work,’ he added.In her own statement, Ms Gray said: ‘I am pleased to have accepted a new role as the PM’s envoy for the regions and nations.’After leading the Labour Party’s preparation for government and kickstarting work on our programme for change, I am looking forward to drawing on my experience to support the PM and the Cabinet to help deliver the Government’s objectives across the nations and regions of the UK.’In addition to building a close partnership with devolved governments, I am delighted this new role will mean continuing to work alongside and support the PM, Deputy PM, the Cabinet and the mayors on English devolution.’It has been an honour to take on the role of Chief of Staff, and to play my part in the delivery of a Labour Government.’Throughout my career my first interest has always been public service.’However in recent weeks it has become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the Government’s vital work of change.’It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside, and I look forward to continuing to support the PM in my new role.’ Ahead of him marking his first 100 days in No10, Sir Keir today made five appointments in an attempt to beef up his Downing Street operation. He named Mr McSweeney as his new chief of staff and promoted Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson to be deputy chiefs of staff.Nin Pandit has been appointed the PM’s principal private secretary (PPS) and James Lyons, a former journalist, will join to head up a new strategic communications team.Sir Keir said: ‘I’m really pleased to be able to bring in such talented and experienced individuals into my team.’This shows my absolute determination to deliver the change the country voted for.’The team to end Keir’s chaos? Starmer makes five new appointments to his No10 staffSir Keir Starmer today made five new appointments to his Downing Street team as he looks to move on from a rocky first three months in power.The Prime Minister undertook a radical shake-up of his No10 operation in a bid to beef up his senior staff and ‘reset’ his premiership after his ‘freebies’ row.The most dramatic move was the replacement of the increasingly embattled Sue Gray as his chief of staff with his top adviser Morgan McSweeney.Sir Keir also named two new deputy chiefs of staff, a new principal private secretary, and a head of a new ‘strategic communications team’. Ms Gray, who will now become the PM’s envoy for nations and regions, dramatically quit as Sir Keir’s chief aide amid reports of a bitter power struggle in No10.This included claims of clashes between Ms Gray and allies of Mr McSweeney, as well as tensions with Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.Sir Keir made the changes to his Downing Street team as he prepares to mark 100 days in office.Since entering No10, he has been engulfed in a furious row over his acceptance of lavish gifts and hospitality – including from millionaire peer Lord Alli.Morgan McSweeney Morgan McSweeney has replaced sue Gray as Sir Keir’s chief of staff in Downing Street, having been the PM’s chief adviserMr McSweeney has replaced Ms Gray as Sir Keir’s chief of staff in Downing Street, having been the PM’s chief adviser.He was previously director of Labour’s general election campaign and oversaw the party’s return to power after 14 years.A former director of the Starmer-supporting Labour Together think tank, Mr McSweeney made his name as a formidable party organiser in London.This included successful campaigns to win a majority on Lambeth Council and to defeat the British National Party in Barking and Dagenham.The Irishman’s allies in No10 have been dubbed ‘McSweeney’s Boys’ amid reports of frequent battles between those close to him and supporters of Ms Gray.Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson Vidhya Alakeson is one of two senior female Downing Street aides to be promoted to deputy chief of staffSir Keir has promoted two senior female Downing Street aides to be his deputy chiefs of staff.Vidhya Alakeson is currently political director in No10 and was previously director of external relations for Labour and Sir Keir when they were in opposition.Prior to joining the Labour Party, she was the chief executive of the Power to Change charitable trust.She has also worked in the Prime Minister’s strategy unit, in HM Treasury, for the US government and in a number of leading think tanks.Jill Cuthbertson has been director of government relations in Downing Street since Labour’s general election victory.She previously spent three years working with Sir Keir as director of the Leader of the Opposition’s office overseeing his events and visits.She previously worked for both Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband. Nin PanditSir Keir has appointed a new principal private secretary to run his private office.Nin Pandit was previously director of the Downing Street policy unit and, prior to that, led the No10 delivery unit’s health and social care team.She started her career in the NHS in 2008 and led the development of the UK’s first electronic health and care records.Before joining government she also served as chief of staff and lead policy advisor to NHS England’s chief executive.James Lyons James Lyons, a former journalist, will join from TikTok and was previously the NHS director of communicationsThe former journalist has been appointed by Sir Keir to head up a new strategic communications team.He will join from TikTok and was previously the NHS director of communications. Prior to that he was deputy political editor of the Sunday Times and the Daily Mirror.The PM said: ‘I’m really pleased to be able to bring in such talented and experienced individuals into my team.’This shows my absolute determination to deliver the change the country voted for.’