Sue Gray hugged me... and handed me a pay cut

AS I walked up Downing Street on the Sunday after the 2017 General Election – in which Theresa May lost her overall majority – I was extremely nervous and trying not to throw up.

Whether it was the gruelling pace of an election campaign or a combination of stress and exhaustion, I’d fallen quite badly ill by polling day. I felt so bad at the election count that my agent had to read my speech for me on stage, then I continued to be sick all the way from Norfolk to London.

Thus, the traditional parade of ministers about to be reshuffled was even worse than usual. I was led upstairs to the Margaret Thatcher Study, where Theresa May joined me. She was moving me to be Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a more junior post than my current one as Justice Secretary and technically outside the Cabinet. It was a significant demotion. I told her I wasn’t happy about it, but quickly realised there was no point in prolonging an awkward conversation.

Perhaps I got off lightly. I was told by someone close to Theresa that, had she won the election outright, I would have been fired. Instead, she only felt able to demote me.

Before leaving, I had to see Sue Gray, right, then the official responsible for mechanics of ministerial appointments. She took it upon herself to commiserate with by giving me a hug, before telling me my salary was being cut. I didn’t welcome her embrace – I am not a hugger – but given how delicate I was feeling, she got off lightly.