KEIR Starmer has been told the “public deserves transparency” after Labour took nine months to refuse to publish any information linked to the proposed role of “nations and regions envoy”.
The SNP’s depute Westminster leader Pete Wishart has written to the Prime Minister seeking “clarity” on whether the role will materialise following the refusal.
The Labour administration had described the envoy position as “vital” in late 2024 when it was offered to Sue Gray as something of a consolation after she was ousted as Starmer’s chief of staff in favour of Morgan McSweeney.
Gray went on “break” and then refused to take the envoy role, with the UK Government later saying it had “no plans” to find anyone to fill it.
In the wake of the saga, in November 2024, The National submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to learn details of the proposed envoy role, including:
- The responsibilities and duties envisioned.
- The proposed or estimated salary, benefits, and other remuneration.
- Any terms, conditions, or expectations outlined for the position.
- Communications between relevant departments or officials pertaining to the role.
Legally, FOI requests should usually receive a response within 20 working days. However, the UK Government took until late August 2025 to refuse the request, shifting its reasoning as it did so.
At first, Labour had leaned on Section 35 of the FOI Act to block the release of documents. This says information can be withheld if it relates to the “formulation or development of government policy”.
As the UK Government had said it did not have plans to fill the role after Gray’s refusal, it is unclear how the request related to developing government policy.
Instead, Labour switched to denying the release of the files under Section 36 of the act, which is in place if publishing information would allegedly “inhibit the free and frank provision of advice, or the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation”.
The UK Government said it had “concluded that the balance of the public interest favours withholding this information”.
The National has requested an internal review of the FOI response – the next step before the Information Commissioner will become involved – and the SNP’s depute Westminster leader Wishart has written to the Prime Minister.
Wishart’s letter states: “I am writing to seek clarity on the role of envoy to the nations and regions, a position reportedly offered to Sue Gray following her resignation as your chief of staff last year.
“Since that announcement, there has been no further information about the remit, function, or even the status of the role. To date, it appears that no responsibilities have been assumed and no public engagement has been undertaken.
“The National newspaper has recently raised this lack of clarity, yet the UK Government has provided no explanation as to whether the role still exists or has been quietly dropped.
“Frankly, the whole matter raises more questions than it answers. If this position were ever to materialise, it is difficult to see what meaningful purpose it could serve – particularly for Scotland.”
When the position was first proposed, First Minister John Swinney said he would not "be dealing through envoys" and that he “expects a direct relationship” with the UK Prime Minister.
In the Commons, Labour ministers refused to explain anything about the nations envoy role – including the salary and job description.
Tory MP John Glen, now party leader Kemi Badenoch's parliamentary private secretary, joined SNP MPs in questioning the silence on the position, telling the Commons that keeping the role’s terms of reference and salary secret was “in breach of Cabinet Office guidance”.
Wishart’s letter to the Prime Minister goes on: “The role would add nothing of substance to the well-established channels of engagement that already exist between governments and parliaments. At best, it risks duplication and confusion; at worst, it looks like little more than window dressing.
“If the UK Government has decided not to proceed with the post, then the public deserves transparency on that point. I therefore urge you to confirm whether the envoy to the nations and regions role is still intended to go ahead, or whether it has, in effect, been abandoned.
“If it is the latter, I suggest the Government should simply say so openly and put an end to the uncertainty.”
After refusing the nations envoy position, Gray was instead given a life peerage in the House of Lords.
Her son, Liam Conlon, became the Labour MP for Beckenham and Penge at the 2024 General Election.
Downing Street has been approached for comment.
