Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour, Baroness Harman praised her “completely honest, hard working” character.
“I always found her excellent to work with,” she told the programme.
Addressing Labour’s turbulent first three months in office, which have been dogged by rows over freebies, Baroness Harman said: “It’s often the case if you have been out of power for a long time and you get in, there are missteps, there is clunkiness.”
MPs were returning to Westminster on Monday, after a three week recess for party conferences.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, Healey said: “She made a massive contribution to helping prepare Labour for government, we owe her a great deal, but as she said herself yesterday, she’d become a distraction with the commentary that was removing the focus on the government’s job of working for change, and that’s why she’s stepped aside.
“I’m really glad she’s going to carry on working with the government, working with the prime minister.”
Announcing her resignation on Sunday, Ms Gray said the “intense commentary” around her position meant she “risked becoming a distraction” to government proceedings.
She had been caught up in rows over pay, and embroiled in controversy over clothing donations from Lord Alli, for whom she had reportedly authorised a temporary Downing Street pass.
The BBC’s Political Editor, Chris Mason, was told by reliable sources that a decision had been made on Friday and the prime minister had been willing to sack Sue Gray. Sir Keir had decided, whatever she said, that she could no longer be his chief of staff.
