Amid Allegations of Cronyism, Civil Service Regulator Reviews Labour Appointments

Civil Service watchdog initiates investigation into Labour hires following accusations of favoritism

Following the recruitment of several political figures into the Civil Service, the Conservative Party demanded that an inquiry be initiated. A Labour MP has also requested a probe into the appointments made by the Conservatives.

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Friday, August 30, 2024, 9:

The Civil Service watchdog has initiated an investigation into the bureaucratic appointments made by the Labour Party since they assumed power.

This follows allegations of favoritism directed at the Conservative Party, accusing them of appointing political allies and donors to positions within the supposedly neutral Civil Service.

The new positions have been filled by Emily Middleton, previously associated with the Labour-supporting organization Labour Together, and Ian Corfield, a donor to the party, who were appointed to high-ranking positions within the service. However, Corfield eventually resigned from his paid position to assume an unpaid role.

The text also mentions Jess Sargeant, previously associated with the campaign group Labour Together, who is said to have received a position within the propriety and constitution group in the Cabinet Office.

Baroness Gisela Stuart, who leads the Civil Service Commission and previously served as a Labour MP, sent a letter to department leaders on Friday informing them about the investigation.

Government officials have the authority to fill positions within the Civil Service without adhering to the standard hiring procedures, and they are not required to seek approval from the commission for these appointments if they fall under a specified salary level.

Lady Stuart stated: "In light of the attention surrounding several recent Civil Service appointments made by exception, and recognizing the significance of public confidence in these appointments, the Commission has opted to conduct a brief examination of such appointments at delegated levels since July 1, 2024, along with the departmental procedures utilized to facilitate these appointments in accordance with the Recruitment Principles."

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The agencies are required to submit the requested information by Lady Stuart by next Friday.

In response to the initiation of the review, seasoned Labour MP Dame Siobhain McDonagh raised concerns about the practice of special appointments made by past administrations.

She penned a letter to Lady Stuart, stating: "As you might know, since 2010, consecutive governments have filled numerous positions within the Civil Service by making use of special exemptions.

The latest annual report from the Civil Service Commission reveals that out of 90,251 individuals hired in the Civil Service during the 2022/23 period, 9,362 were selected via various alternative pathways.

For further reading: Conservatives call for probe into Civil Service hiring practices; lack of regulations allows Labour donor and peer access to Downing Street pass.

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Lady McDonagh inquired if Lady Stuart could confirm whether exceptions made by past administrations would be examined as well.

She noted, "Likewise, the appointments of several politically-connected individuals by former administrations have also attracted considerable public attention."

"The individuals in question are Liam Maxwell, Tom Shinner, James Frayne, Pamela Dow, and Graham Cundy. Could you please clarify the procedure and rationale behind their selection?"

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John Glen, the Conservative Party's deputy in charge of financial affairs, expressed approval, stating, "I am pleased that the Commission has supported our demands for an investigation into Labour's biased appointments.

"To begin, it's crucial that the government discloses complete details regarding each 'special' appointment made post-election. Keir Starmer must stop downplaying this issue."

The thinktank Institute for Government has noted that it's not uncommon for the exception process to be employed, which aids ministers in situations where they lack the authority to hire staff, yet remain responsible to both parliament and the public for government operations.

A spokesperson from the Cabinet Office stated: "Every appointment within the civil service is required to adhere to the established regulations and procedures."

"The Civil Service Commission operates autonomously from the government and has the authority to routinely evaluate hiring procedures, as granted by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. We are committed to providing complete support to the commission during their review."

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