This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

So who is Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister's newly appointed most senior advisor after Sue Gray quit the role saying "intense commentary" around her position "risked becoming a distraction".

Born in Macroom, County Cork, in the Irish Republic, the 47-year-old is married to the newly elected MP for Hamilton and Clyde Valley Imogen Walker, and the couple, who have a young son, have a home in rural Lanarkshire.

Mr McSweeney's promotion has been seen as a victory of the "boys club" of advisors around Sir Keir Starmer and followed weeks of criticism and briefings against Ms Gray, who had reportedly clashed with him in his role as the PM's chief political adviser.

There were numerous briefings that he was at the centre of a male dominated clique inside No 10, along with Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden, with Ms Gray on the other side.

As Ms Gray was ousted on Sunday one senior figure told the Mail: "The lads have clearly won this round."

Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell also accused "the boys" in No 10 of caring more about getting rid of Ms Gray than dealing with more important matters facing the world.

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He wrote: "We’re facing the potential of a war setting the Middle East alight, already thousands are being killed in Lebanon, and what is the focus of the boys around Keir Starmer’s office, carving up Sue Gray and grabbing her job and salary. Words fail me."

Mr McSweeney has been given two female assistants. Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson were both promoted from roles in No 10 to become deputy chiefs of staff.

Having been credited as masterminding Labour's successful general election campaign, Downing Street will be hoping Mr McSweeney will now be in a better position as the PM's top aide to help the government move on from stories of infighting and rows over political donations.

After moving to London from Ireland, Mr McSweeney, a committed centrist, joined Labour under Tony Blair, and worked in a junior role at the party's headquarters.

He later worked for Steve Reed, who is now environment secretary but at the time was a councillor in Lambeth, south London, where he was trying to regain control of the party from the left.

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In 2017, Mr McSweeney became a director of the think tank Labour Together, which opposed the direction of the party under Mr Corbyn and went on to back Sir Keir Starmer.

He left the organisation to run Sir Keir's 2020 leadership bid, later becoming his chief of staff, when he played a key role in removing Corbyn supporters from positions of power.

"He appears fairly unassuming but is obviously quite a ruthless character," said one Scottish Labour figure who was sceptical that Mr McSweeney should be given the credit for Labour's general election victory.

"There were a whole lot of factors at play in the election result rather than Morgan McSweeney's role in the campaign."

His role in quashing the left of the party remains controversial. Indeed some believe it could yet come back to haunt him if tensions grow over Starmer's rocky start in government.