That’s all for today – here is a round-up of today’s news as Sir Keir Starmer’s appointment of Sue Gray as his chief of staff continues to attract criticism from Conservative MPs. The Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin has said it is unprecedented for a serving permanent secretary to resign to take up a job with the leader of the opposition. The Cabinet Office is investigating, he says. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, told the House of Commons that he believe it “smashes to pieces” the idea of an independent civil service. Starmer refused to say exactly when he first contacted Sue Gray about her becoming his chief of staff – but said that the approach was “recent”, and after his previous chief of staff left last October. Hospital consultants in England will be balloted on strike action over pay, the British Medical Association, the doctors’ union, has announced. The BMA will ballot consultants on a potential strike in the spring, PA Media reports. Rachel Johnson, sister of former prime minister Boris, says that she believes their father, Stanley, deserves an honour – amid rumours that he will get a knighthood in her brother’s resignation honours list. At the No 10 lobby briefing Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson described reports that Stanley Johnson is due to get a knighthood in Boris’ honours list as “speculative”, not denying them, and refuses to accept that the honours system isn’t fit for purpose. Sunak’s spokesperson has declined to say when he expects to honour his pledge to “stop the boats” in response to asylum seekers arriving on the shores of southern England from France in small crafts. Bertie Ahern, the former taoiseach (Irish PM), has said it is “reasonable” for the DUP to take a few weeks to decide whether or not it will support the deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol. Thanks for following along. I leave you with tonight’s story that Conservative MPs are launching a bid attempting to stop Sue Gray’s appointment as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.