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Ex-cabinet minister Patricia Hewitt cashes in again with £60,000 job on the board of BT
Last updated at 00:22am on 14.03.08
Patricia Hewitt has been criticised for taking a job with BT - a firm she used to work with while in government
The former Trade Secretary is to be paid £60,000 as a part-time non-executive director of telecoms giant BT, the company announced.
Her appointment fuelled the row over the "revolving door" that means government ministers and civil servants can look forward to a golden retirement in the boardrooms of companies affected by decisions in Whitehall.
During Ms Hewitt's time in government, telecoms regulator Ofcom carried out a major study of the structure of BT.
BT agreed that it had regular contact with ministers, including Ms Hewitt when she was Trade Secretary.
The company has contracts for telecommunications systems in government departments, including the Department of Health.
Ms Hewitt, who became Health Secretary after serving four years at the Department of Trade, has also been hired by Boots chemists and a private equity firm owning most of Britain's private hospitals.
Before leaving the Cabinet, she paved the way for the firm to take over GPs' surgeries. She is now also "senior adviser" to Cinven, a private equity company which last year bought Bupa's 25 UK hospitals for £1.4 billion.
Hewitt will earn £60,000 as a part-time non-executive director of telecoms giant BT
Both of the appointments were approved by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
Ms Hewitt is the latest in a long line of 28 Labour ministers to cash in on their political careers by taking jobs in private sector fields.
Tony Blair has taken lucrative positions at JP Morgan and Zurich Financial Services since stepping down as Prime Minister last summer.
Both jobs are said to be worth more than £2 million a year.
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker said: "It leaves a sour taste to see ministers securing jobs in the private sector in areas where they had ministerial responsibility in the recent past.
"The revolving door syndrome gives a whole new meaning to Labour spin."
A BT spokesman admitted Ms Hewitt's experience would be useful. It would give BT insight from a client perspective. In addition she could advise on "complex regulatory issues".
Reader views (3)
The whiff of corruption should be enough to put a stop to this practice. Tax the ex ministers (and particularly the ex PM Blair) 100% of earnings gained by taking employment with a company that could've influenced them whilst serving this country. Surely it is obvious to all that decisions made for the benefit of a company, BT in this case, are being rewarded once these people leave political office.
It is also very clear that the only thing the likes of BT, JP Morgan, Carlyle etc gain from ex ministers and ex PM's is the knowledge they gained whilst serving the country. If an 'ordinary' person used this knowledge they would be charged and possibly imprisoned for breaching the Official Secrets Act, but when it's a member of this club they get paid tens of thousands and a place on the board.
What this story really tells us is that the Government of this country is no longer 'for and of the people' but more a gravy train that is no more representative of the population than a collection of dollar bills!
- Bobby Smith, London
Now she has sufficient money at her disposal she ought to spend a couple of million pounds on a Personal Charm Course.
- Robert, Hull, East Yorks.,
This sort of appointment MUST be outlawed immediately!
- Fraser, Telford Park
