'Cronyism' outcry at CRE appointment

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, was accused of "cronyism" last night after the Labour politician Trevor Phillips was appointed head of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). Mr Phillips, currently chairman of the London Assembly, is close to several senior Labour figures and stood as the party's candidate for deputy London Mayor three years ago.

Black activists questioned whether he would be independent enough to stand up to ministers, while the Conservatives complained that the Government was playing politics with an independent body.

Mr Phillips will resign from his Assembly seat to take over the £110,000-a-year, four-day-a-week post next month.

The post became vacant last year when the CRE's head, Gurbux Singh, resigned after a drunken tussle with a policeman outside Lord's cricket ground.

David Davis, the shadow Deputy Prime Minister, said: "It is not a surprise to see yet another one of Tony's cronies in an important and prominent role.

"For an organisation such as the CRE to have a chance of working well it must be seen to be focused solely on its task and absolutely politically neutral."

Peter Herbert, a barrister who advises the Attorney General on race issues and the Society of Black Lawyers, said the job required a "radical perspective who is independent of Government". He said: "It remains to be seen whether Trevor Phillips is the type of person who will do that or whether he will present a public face acceptable to the Government but [who] doesn't challenge the Government."

Simon Woolley, of Operation Black Vote, said: "He will need to convince many that he is not a mouthpiece for the Labour Party hierarchy."