Prime Minister Keir Starmer has come under fire after it emerged that his Labour government has appointed more than 200 “cronies” to Civil Service roles without competition since the general election.
In a move sparking outrage across Westminster, an investigation by the Telegraph has revealed that Starmer’s administration has been quietly filling key Whitehall positions with handpicked allies, bypassing the usual recruitment process.
In his first 100 days as Prime Minister, Labour has made an average of two “exceptional” hires per day. These appointments, made under a rule designed for short-term placements or re-hiring former civil servants with specialist skills, have raised serious concerns about cronyism in Starmer’s government.
The Telegraph’s revelations have reignited a row that first surfaced during Starmer’s early days in office when claims surfaced that Labour loyalists were being parachuted into supposedly impartial Civil Service roles. Now, official government data shows that more than 200 civil servants have been appointed without the usual competitive process since Starmer took office—an alarming deviation from transparency and fairness. A statement in the Telegraph says:
Analysis of the data by The Telegraph reveals that there have been at least 228 exceptional hires since July. The true number is likely to be higher, as figures were only available for nine departments.
John Glen, the former Conservative Paymaster General, has led the charge against Labour, accusing the party of “stacking the Civil Service with Keir’s cronies” and undermining its integrity. “This is corrosive to the independence of the Civil Service,” Glen blasted, adding that Labour’s reluctance to provide full transparency indicates they “clearly have something to hide.”
The most egregious case comes from the Home Office, which made 109 exceptional hires, with some employees earning salaries north of £50,000. The Ministry of Justice followed suit, making 43 such appointments, including 12 paid more than £50,000. Other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, Treasury, and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, have also been caught up in the hiring scandal.
Labour, however, has attempted to brush off the allegations, with a source snidely remarking, “John Glen clearly lost his memory when he lost his job as a minister.”
Nevertheless, the scale of Labour’s “backdoor” hiring spree has raised eyebrows. While these appointments are supposedly legal under Civil Service Commission rules, the sheer volume, and the lack of transparency surrounding them, have fuelled fears that Labour is attempting to exert undue influence over Whitehall.
As the Civil Service watchdog continues its investigation into these unusual hires, pressure is mounting on Starmer’s government to explain the full extent of its cronyism scandal.
After just 100 days in power, it seems Labour is already playing a dangerous game with the very institutions it promised to uphold, leaving critics asking—what else are they hiding?
Let us know your thoughts. Editor@ConservativePost.co.uk
