By Emma Jones

On Sunday it was announced Sue Gray was to fall on her sword after a series of newspaper hatchet jobs designed to make her appear as Miss Piggy to Keir Starmer’s Kermit in the Downing Street freebies saga.

The announcement was closely followed by media analysis, or, more accurately, media self-congratulation, given that it was the papers that initiated it; echoing Gray’s line that once she had become “the story” she had to go.

But of course, it began as soon as Gray took office as the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, one played out so many times it's become more of a fable. 

"Female takes a powerful role in government and the misogynistic right-wing press takes every opportunity to destroy her." it begins.

Without addressing the overtones, Alison Philips, former editor of the Mirror, agreed Gray was the main femme fatale from the offset.

The crime was, employing her in the first place, knowing she would be a target. “Why give the Tories ammunition for the claim that her partygate inquiry was a Labour inspired hit job on Boris Johnson?” she asked in the New Statesman.

Erm, maybe because she was well-qualified and had done her job well?

In doing so Philips inadvertently addresses the unwritten code that has been the unfortunate nemesis of governments for as long as they have been having bedtime stories read to them by the press.

Presumably this would have meant employing another pale, stale, male to the job, one that would be less likely to suffer the slings and arrows fired by the press.

Ironically, at the same time Gray was packing her things, the former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was courting publicity of his own.

Johnson, who broke his own rules to eat cake and drink wine at a party - as shown in her report - was rolling around media outlets plugging his new autobiography to his mates about how he did it. 

Does anyone remember the Covid bungs?

Of course, it would be highly unlikely to find a successful female newspaper executive who would address these gender driven concerns head on, most of them choose to tread the line of least resistance and act like one of the boys instead. 

But the issues are clear, the press gets to lean on the government and the government should feel scared enough of them to play the game.

And, if you read implicit messages pumped out in the Mail, women are evil, not sufficiently in charge of their own faculties and wholly unsuitable for the job of government.

Except the robust ones like Thatcher and Truss, although it's little wonder these desensitised AI bot versions of womankind are the one’s attracted to jobs in high office.  ‍

As well as having Thatcher’s portrait removed, Starmer likely had the “You don’t have to be mad to work here but it helps.” teacup Truss briefly drank from discreetly binned.

There may be more women in parliament than ever before but the vitriol and pettiness from the press is worse than ever.

As Gray departed Angela Rayner must've been feeling the Sunday night blues as she moved back into position as prime female cannon fodder.

Behold on Monday morning the Times delivered a story about Rayner buying an expensive suit for her partner, MP Sam Tarry, using her own money.

“Proud socialist Angela Rayner bought boyfriend a suit from royal tailor,” said the headline.

Not that sexism and class baiting is anything new to Rayner.

The Mail on Sunday once wrote a story blaming the Angela Rayner's legs for her being a better at public speaking than Boris Johnson, or words to that effect.

The Gray saga highlights two issues that need addressing urgently by the new government.

The shabby personalised nature of political reporting in our newspapers and the gendered treatment of women by some sectors of the press – moreover the culture these two facets create.

Independent regulation of newspapers would go some way to deal with it but mention that at your peril, if you listen to newspaper executives, who really run the country.

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