Eight years ago, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that “in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories”.
It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party, compared to less than a third for the Conservatives.
Despite the selection of some Party members or supporters to fill important posts, over time, the Conservatives have punched beneath their weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply don’t apply in the same number as Labour supporters.
To help remedy this, each week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives can be aware of the opportunities presented.
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UK Hydrographic Office – Non-Executive Director
“We are seeking an exceptional individual to join the UKHO Board as a Non-Executive Director (NED). The successful candidate will support the UKHO in driving forward a pivotal commercial and digital transformation programme in response to significant change in the international market for high-quality hydrographic data. The NED has an important role in supporting and challenging the UKHO executive leadership team to ensure that there is a clear focus on transformation, increasing revenues, building partnerships, exploring new markets and continuous improvement. The NED will work in close partnership with the UKHO’s Chair and other NEDs, including the UKHO’s MOD sponsor.”
Time: 30 days per annumC
Remuneration: £18,000 per annum
Closes: 21 February
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England Species Reintroduction Task Force – Chair
“Government has committed to establishing an England Species Reintroductions Task Force to provide independent advice on species reintroductions in England. This technical advisory group will bring together statutory bodies, experts and stakeholders to provide a collective evidence-based view on potential species for conservation translocation and reintroduction in England. We are now looking for a chairperson for this Group, initially holding a 3-year term. Roles and responsibilities will include: chairing meetings of the England Reintroductions Task Force, guiding the agenda, discussion and agreeing outputs of such meetings. Meetings will occur quarterly for the first year and twice yearly thereafter; engaging, negotiating and working with Task Force members, including experts, eNGOs and statutory bodies, to gain collective agreement towards evidence-based advice and outputs…”
Time: Anticipated 10-15 days per annum
Remuneration: £500 per diem plus expenses
Closes: 21 February
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Home Office – Commissioner for Countering Extremism
“The Commissioner for Countering Extremism will provide independent expert advice, challenge and scrutiny to the UK government on extremism in England and Wales. The Commissioner will also play a key role in monitoring the threat from extremism and ensuring that good practice on tackling extremism is shared across Government departments, the wider public sector and regulatory and law enforcement agencies. We are seeking a highly talented individual of unquestionable independence, integrity and credibility, who has a clear understanding of extremism and its impacts. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate their ability to provide expert advice to Government and to influence Government thinking on this issue.”
Time: Three-year fixed term
Remuneration: £130,000 pro rata, plus reasonable expenses
Closes: 28 February
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Financial Conduct Authority – Chair
“The FCA is an independent regulator with the strategic objective of ensuring that the UK’s financial markets function well. To do this, the FCA regulates the conduct of over 51,000 businesses, and will for many of them also consider whether they meet prudential standards that reduce the potential harm to consumers and industry if they fail. The FCA’s operational objectives are to: protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system; secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers; and promote effective competition in the interests of consumers.”
Time: 2-3 days per week
Remuneration: £170,000 per annum
Closes: 03 March
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Department for Work and Pensions – Pensions Ombudsman
“The Pensions Ombudsman investigates and determines complaints and disputes about the way that occupational and personal pension schemes are run. The Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman considers decisions made by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) Board under the PPF’s internal procedures and decides on appeals against decisions by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Financial Assistance Scheme. Although the roles are provided for separately in legislation, they are held by one post holder. Throughout this document the term ‘Ombudsman’ will therefore cover both roles. The Ombudsman is supported by an organisation, known as The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO).”
Time: Full-time
Remuneration: £143,095 per annum
Closes: 06 March
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Bank of England – Chair of the Court
“The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom. The Court of Directors is the Bank’s governing board, and comprises the Bank’s Governor, the four Deputy Governors, and up to nine non-executive directors. Court manages the Bank’s affairs, and has responsibility for determining the Bank’s objectives and strategy, and for oversight of the Bank’s performance and effective discharge of its statutory and other objectives. Non-executive members of Court have the right to observe meetings of the three main policy committees of the Bank, the Monetary Policy Committee, the Financial Policy Committee and the Prudential Regulation Committee. The Chair plays a vital role at a time of continuing change in the Bank functions and organisation. Working closely with the Governor, the Chair is key to the Bank’s governance and the life of the Bank more broadly.”
Time: Full-time
Remuneration: £48,000 per annum
Closes: 09 March
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Home Office – Members of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal
“The IPT has a UK-wide jurisdiction. Its President is Lord Justice Singh and the Vice-President is Lord Boyd of Duncansby. We are looking for distinguished lawyers with a proven track record of expertise capable of being applied to the work of the IPT, who are able to make informed and reliable decisions on issues which can be of national importance. The successful candidates will have considerable experience in the law at a senior level, be familiar with Administrative Law and have a sufficient knowledge or understanding of RIPA, the Intelligence Services Act 1994, the IP Act, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the recent judgment of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in Big Brother Watch & Ors v UK. Judicial experience will be an advantage.”
Time: At least 15 days per year, five years.
Remuneration: £917.52 per diem
Closes: 14 March
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Office for Students – Chief Executive Officer
“The Chief Executive is responsible for delivering the OfS’s statutory regulatory duties, as well as the following: providing overall leadership and management of the OfS as the independent regulator of higher education in England, setting and delivering a strategic vision for how the OfS will achieve its aims in championing the interests of students; overseeing the effectiveness and performance of the OfS and ensuring it is discharging its statutory duties in line with ministerial priorities, government policy and actions and direction determined by the OfS Board, as well as its accounting officer duties in relation to managing public money; working closely with Ministers and government officials to take the OfS through its next phase of critical work, including in relation to driving up quality, increasing real social mobility and reducing bureaucracy…”
Time: Full-time
Remuneration: £150-165,000 per annum
Closes: 22 March