MP's husband gets top social housing job in nepotism row

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Local Government

The husband of a Labour MP has secured a top job at a social housing provider - and has sparked accusations of nepotism.

Ashwin Kumar - spouse of Wirral South MP Alison McGovern (pictured) - has been appointed chairman designate of Wirral Partnership Homes (WPH), the Liverpool Echo has reported.

But local Tories have attacked Mr Kumar's appointment. West Wirral MP, Esther McVey, said: "There is a clear and tangible conflict of interest.

“As the husband of the Labour Member of Parliament for Wirral South, the most marginal Labour seat in Wirral and a self proclaimed Labour activist since the age of 15 when he joined the Labour Party and who boasts on his CV of his role in organising the campaign to win Wirral South in 2010 Mr Kumar has demonstrated that there is a clear and tangible conflict of interest.  This is a post that is supposedly non-political.

“I note that the Council Leader Councillor Phil Davies was part of the appointment panel. This  'jobs for the boys culture' has all the hallmarks of the cronyism which dogged militant run Liverpool in the 1980's especially as this is now a paid position which was previously unpaid."

Wirral Tory councillor Chris Blakeley - and former member of the WPH board - went a step further and claimed that "WPH, to my mind, has now become an extension of the Labour Party."

Alison McGovern's office told 24dash that there was "no conflict and no connection," and added "if your partner was given a job you wouldn't expect to have to answer for it".

WPH has defended its appointment of Mr Kumar. In a statement it said: "Five were shortlisted and he was the best for the job. We are not a political organisation and intend for that to remain so."

On Mr Kumar's personal website he describes himself as a "Labour Party activist". He also says he is a keen photographer and a FA-qualified referee.

Mr Kumar is a former non-executive director of homelessness charity Broadway and was also a Senior Economic Adviser at the Department of Work and Pensions.