Cabinet office worker sacked by Sue Gray says she has a 'fearsome reputation' in warning to Boris

Cabinet office worker sacked by Sue Gray says she has a 'fearsome reputation' in warning to Boris
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Luke Ridley

By Luke Ridley


Published: 24/01/2022

- 17:44

Updated: 24/01/2022

- 17:48

Former Cabinet Office worker Ryan Heath who was fired for misusing his Government email laid out his stark warning for Boris Johnson after Martin Reynolds reportedly sent out a party invite to Downing Street staff.

Sue Gray has been tasked with investigating a lengthy list of allegations about parties and gatherings held in 2020 and 2021 in Downing Street while a variety of Covid restrictions were in place.

These include a “bring your own booze” event at No 10 on May 20 2020, which the Prime Minister has admitted attending but that he said he thought was a work event will facing Keir Starmer at PMQs nearly two weeks ago.


Former Cabinet Office worker Ryan Heath has laid out a stark warning for Boris Johnson and his political team after revealing how he was fired from his role in 2006 by Sue Gray.

Ryan Heath joined the Cabinet Office in May 2004. Writing about his experience in Politico he said he "liked her and like working with her" but even that could not save him from being fired by the senior official with the "fearsome reputation".

Heath said after joining the cabinet team he noticed "Gray had a talent for grooming ambitious but obedient young members of staff. She’d be your ally for plum jobs and promotions, and in return you’d share information and do things her way"

In 2006 Heath was on tour promoting his book, 'Please Just F*** Off, It’s Our Turn Now' when the Daily Mail ran an article on the staffers work.

Heath sent an email to colleagues from his Cabinet Office email account inviting them to my book launch. He comments this was the 'final straw' for Sue Gray and the reason he was fired.

Heath states "Gray decided I’d misused government resources in sending that email. I could have sent it from my Gmail account, but instead I saved time by using the auto-prompt to call up colleague addresses in my work Outlook account.

"This victimless crime is committed thousands of times by civil servants each day, emailing spouses and parents and friends. But for Gray it was reason enough to kick me out of a job.

"And just like that, I was gone", Heath said.

The former staffer laid out a stark warning to Boris and particularity his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds who reportedly sent out the party invite as Gray had fired Heath for "misusing government resources in sending that email".

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said “it’s very much our intention to publish the findings in full as set out in the terms of reference”.

But asked if it was up to the Prime Minister or Ms Gray what could be published, the spokesman said: “I think it is a report that comes to the Prime Minister.”

Mr Johnson had previously said the report would be published in the House of Commons library.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has said the report “must be published in its entirety with all accompanying evidence”.

It comes as Mr Cummings, who left Downing Street in November 2020 and has been critical of the Government since, claimed evidence was being kept from the inquiry because staff fear it would be seen by Mr Johnson.

He suggested that meant that further evidence, including photos, will keep leaking after her report.

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