gray

Gray said all the engagements were “official ministerial business”, and that he had not planned to attend only Aberdeen club matches.

Gray said there had been no decisions yet as to how the final bill would be formulated as he sought support to pass the legislation.

But Ms Gray is adamant it was her decision, we are told, and she never spoke directly to the prime minister about it.

A friend of Ms Gray said: "Sue has taken a decision not to take the role. She’s going to focus on other things."

Gray, who served in the Assembly for 10 years, campaigned as a “radical centrist” who pointed to his time in the state Legislature to show his record of working across party lines.