SUE Gray has rejected the role of “envoy to the nations and regions” in Keir Starmer’s government.
The Labour leader’s former chief of staff had been offered the position as something of a consolation after she was forced to resign amid bitter infighting in Number 10.
Gray (below) was swiftly replaced by Morgan McSweeney, a close Starmer adviser, and was said to be taking on the role of nations and regions envoy.
However, she did not appear at a key summit just days later, no job description was provided for her role, and reports later said she was going on break before taking it up.
But on Tuesday, allies close to Gray told the Financial Times that she had rejected the position.
“Sue has taken a decision not to take the role. She’s going to focus on other things,” one told that paper.
“She’s taken time to think about it properly, talking to stakeholders, but ultimately she’s decided she doesn’t want to do it.”
The BBC quoted a Downing Street source as saying Gray had made "the right decision".
The news came hours after reports in the Westminster gossip blog Guido Fawkes that Downing Street had withdrawn the job offer.
However, on Monday, the Prime Minister's official spokesperson had said there was no update on Gray's position.
After reports that Gray would not be taking on the role, Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie said the Labour Government "clearly doesn’t know what devolved parliaments need or want, which is why he has proposed this non-entity role that was rejected by the office holder before she even began".
“For years, Scotland has been forced to watch on as our budgets have been slashed, our powers have been snatched, and Westminster’s overreach has got out of control.
“Desperately trying to appoint a new envoy to relieve his internal issues is just papering over the deep cracks. We need real systematic change to respect Scotland’s democracy," he said.
The "nations envoy" role had previously been attacked as demonstrating a "colonial mindset" from the UK Government.
Scottish Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop (above) said last month: “Nothing smacks of a confession from the UK Labour Government and Keir Starmer that they don’t understand Scotland than the need to have anyone from the UK Labour Government in the position of ‘envoy’ to the nations and regions.”
First Minister John Swinney had said he would not "be dealing through envoys" when asked about the position.
The SNP leader said he “expects a direct relationship” with the UK Prime Minister.
