Shadow leader of Commons calls for investigation after compiling list of ‘politically aligned’ handed Civil Service roles
The appointment of 12 Labour “cronies” to the Civil Service under Sir Keir Starmer must be fully investigated, the Tories have demanded.
Chris Philp, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, drew up a list of the 12 Labour donors or “politically aligned” supporters who have been handed “supposedly neutral” Civil Service jobs.
In a letter to Baroness Stuart, the Civil Service commissioner, he urged her to investigate whether ministers initiated any of the appointments, whether any ministerial conflicts of interest were reported to Civil Service chiefs and if there were any breaches of Civil Service recruitment rules.
“It strikes me as unacceptable for political donors or politically aligned people to be appointed to supposedly neutral Civil Service rules without open competition, especially without disclosing the conflict arising from the prior political connections at the point of appointment, as required by the Ministerial Code,” said Mr Philp.
A review of appointments to some government jobs was launched by Baroness Stuart.
Baroness probes ‘exceptions’
She wrote to government departments requiring details of “exceptions”, where appointments are made outside the normal process in certain circumstances such as when people have particular skills.
The most high-profile appointment was Labour donor Ian Corfield to a Treasury role, in which he will help deliver an October investment summit.
Mr Corfield is a former banker who has donated £20,000 to Labour MPs, including £5,000 to now-Chancellor Rachel Reeves in 2023.
Emily Middleton was named a director general in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), where the secretary of state is Peter Kyle.
She was previously a partner at Public Digital, the consultancy firm that paid for her secondment to Mr Kyle’s office in opposition with a donation-in-kind of more than £65,000. She was also seconded to Labour Together.
Oliver Newton, a former adviser to Ms Reeves, has been appointed head of business engagement in the Treasury, while Haydon Etherington, a former Labour policy adviser with Angela Rayner, has joined her Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as a senior policy adviser.
Mitchell Burns-Jackson, a Labour party office administrator with a parliamentary pass from Sir Keir, was made executive assistant to Sue Gray, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, who was revealed on Wednesday to be being paid more than her boss.
Jessica Sargeant, a former senior policy adviser at Labour Together – a think tank allied to Sir Keir – was appointed a deputy director at the Cabinet Office.
Tom Crick, a senior policy researcher for Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, in opposition, has joined her in the Department for Education as an senior adviser.
Ben Wood, a former political adviser to Ms Rayner and Labour party by-election candidate, is understood to have joined her Civil Service department. Rose Grayston, who also worked for Labour Together, was appointed an adviser on housing in the department, said Mr Philp in his letter.
Joe Davies, a press officer for Health Secretary Wes Streeting while in opposition, has joined the Department for Health and Social Care as a senior media relations officer.
Louise Tinsely, an existing civil servant in the Treasury, was made the new director of special advisers and chancellor engagement. Mr Philp said the post was not advertised externally and was therefore in breach of Civil Service policy. Ms Tinsley worked for Ms Reeves as a political adviser up to 2017.
Baroness Stuart’s review focuses on appointments below Civil Service grade six – normally salaries up to £61,000 – which are not normally referred to the Civil Service commission and can be signed off within the department.
Mr Philp urged Baroness Stuart to consider reviewing her previous decisions on the more senior posts “in light of the new information about political donations and connections”.
“Within a matter of weeks, the Government has become mired in sleaze from giving a Downing Street pass to the man who pays for Sir Keir’s and Lady Starmer’s clothes to appointing Labour party donors to supposedly impartial senior Civil Service positions,” he said.
“It is no wonder trust in the Government is collapsing.”
