Tories slam Labour's 'quangocrat cronies'

THREE prominent Scots have been named on a list of Labour Party "quangocrats".

The trio are among 20 people who the Conservatives claim have been rewarded with jobs, paid from the public purse for supporting the party.

The move followed the revelation that Chris Smith, a former Labour Cabinet minister, has been appointed to chair the Advertising Standards Authority, for which he will paid 120,000 for a three-day week.

The Scots on the list were Alice Brown, the 72,000-a-year Scottish Civil Service Ombudsman, and Professor Alan Alexander, the former chairman of Scottish Water. Completing the trio is Morag Alexander, Prof Alexander's wife, who is paid 21,000 to sit part-time on the Scottish Social Services Council.

Prof Brown is a Labour Party member and advised Helen Liddell, the former Scotland Office minister. Both the Alexanders are Labour Party members and Prof Alexander once stood as a Labour candidate. He quit Scottish Water this year, but has also held posts with the Accounts Commission and the Economic and Research Council.

"The number of vested interests in these appointments is astounding," said Hugo Swire, the Tory front-bencher who compiled the quangocrat list.

"It's unacceptable that they are all Labour cronies."

Prof Brown said last night she had been appointed by an independent panel after an open competition for her job. The Alexanders were not available for comment.