Baroness Sally Morgan has suggested that the appointment of William Shawcross, chair of the Charity Commission, was politically-motivated, amid wider allegations of a pattern of non-Conservative supporters in high public office being replaced by loyal Tories.
Baroness Morgan, who is to be removed from her current role as head of Ofsted, has complained that she is the victim of a “determined effort from Number 10” to appoint more Tories.
LibDem minister David Laws has also backed Morgan’s views, accusing his boss, Education Secretary Michael Gove, of letting go of Morgan for political reasons.
Downing Street has said the decision not to reappoint Baroness Morgan for a second three-year term at Ofsted had been made by Mr Gove, and that the government "appoints people on merit".
But in an interview with BBC News, Baroness Morgan said her removal was part of a pattern where a series of non-Conservative supporters on bodies like the Arts Council and the Charity Commission had been replaced with loyal Tories.
Dame Suzi Leather ended her term as chair of the Charity Commission in 2012. She had served two three-year terms, meaning she could not be reappointed to the role.
Her successor William Shawcross was chosen by the Cabinet Office, and had a pre-appointment hearing with the Public Administration Select Committee.
But his appointment was steeped in controversy from the outset. At his pre-appointment hearing in front of the Public Administration Select Committee, a number of MPs voiced concerns that many of his comments in the press were too political.
Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland cited articles where Shawcross had written in support of Rupert Murdoch, Guantanamo Bay and the decision by Bush and Blair to invade Iraq.
Mulholland also expressed worry that Shawcross has publicly declared that he voted Conservative.
Labour MP David Heyes raised similar concerns, arguing that Dame Suzi had struggled to shake off her Labour Party affiliation even though she had no strong political views on public record.
Labour and LibDem MPs on the Committee tried to block his appointment, but their three votes were outnumbered by the four Conservative members.
Labour MP Fiona Mactaggart has also suggested that Shawcross is a political appointment to the Commission on Twitter today.
She tweeted: "Tory hacks who have had important public appointments: Peta Buscombe,William Shawcross, spring to mind. What do we expect post Sally Morgan."
Gender bias - 'it's raining men in the Tory party'
Concerns have also been raised that gender bias has played a role in many recent public appointments.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show at the weekend, in a debate with Michael Gove about his decision to jettison Baroness Sally Morgan, shadow deputy leader Harriet Harman said she was worried that recent appointments to public office had another political imperative - sex:
“I am concerned with the cull of senior authority leaders being replaced by men,” she said, singling out Dame Suzi Leather and Baroness Morgan.
She said the PASC should look into to it: “It’s raining men in the Tory party,” she told Gove.
But Gove insisted the Conservatives did not have a problem with women: “We made one Prime Minister, and she did a fantastic job,” he said in response.
