Last modified on Tue 29 Jun 2021 06.53 EDT
Ministers are facing demands to re-examine 85 oversight jobs across Whitehall amid questions over Conservative government appointments to the health department.
Concerns were raised after it emerged that Matt Hancock had appointed Gina Coladangelo, whom he was pictured kissing in his office in May, as a non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) last year. She was paid £15,000 for 15 days’ work a year in a role that included scrutinising his performance as a minister.
Non-executive directors (Neds) exist to “challenge” the government and provide independent scrutiny while bringing private-sector experience to departmental boards. In some cases, ministers have been accused of abusing their positions to bring in Tory donors, peers and MPs to sit in important governance positions.
Hancock affair prompts call for crackdown on departmental non execs
civilserviceworld.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from civilserviceworld.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Matt Hancock sleaze makes Major government look like a vicar s tea party – Jayne Dowle
yorkshirepost.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yorkshirepost.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
three-year transparency battle against Michael Gove’s department.
Can you help us keep fighting government secrecy?
Analysis carried out by openDemocracy has found that Coladangelo is one of at least 16 individuals with close ties to the Conservative Party to have been appointed as a non-executive director in Whitehall.
Labour’s shadow cabinet minister Angela Rayner accused ministers of “using every opportunity they can to do favours for their chums”, while transparency campaigners warned that the current system of non-executive director appointments “risks allowing political capture of whole government departments”.
Angela Rayner accused ministers of ‘using every opportunity they can to do favours for their chums’
Matt Hancock took mistress Gina Coladangelo to a G7 health conference three weeks ago
telegraph.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from telegraph.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.