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The future of the Government's equality czar Trevor Phillips was under renewed threat today amid reports that Whitehall officials are preparing a deal to remove him.
Mr Phillips, whose tenure as chairman of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission has been dogged by controversy, will reach the end of his three-year contract in the autumn.
It was expected that the former television executive, whose work in fighting discrimination has won praise from ministers, would seek a second term - but the Evening Standard has learned that Mr Phillips could be offered a further three years on the condition that he refuses.
A source close to the talks said: "The deal being mooted is for Trevor to be reappointed but to turn it down. Everyone can save face all round."
Mr Phillips, 55, became the first chairman of the equality body, which was set up in October 2007, after heading the Commission for Racial Equality. He has sought to pursue what his supporters call a "modernising" agenda in tackling discrimination and was paid £110,000 for a three and a half day week. Critics question his approach, claiming the commission has failed to make sufficient impact, with senior figures calling on him to step down.
Lord Ouseley, Mr Phillips's predecessor as chairman of the CRE, said: "Judging from the complaints I have received people do not feel the EHRC is performing its role effectively. Now you see the BNP making gains, and the Government and EHRC have been pathetic in their response." Liberal Democrat peer Lord Dholakia also claimed this week that he received "several complaints a week about his leadership - or lack of it".
A government announcement over Mr Phillips's future this month would coincide with the publication of a review by Britain's spending watchdog into the quango's finances.
The National Audit Office's report is expected to focus on alleged financial irregularities relating to four senior staff who the EHRC re-employed after they were given redundancy payments said to amount to more than £200,000 when the CRE was wound up.
Mr Phillips was forced to quit as director of a management consultancy last year for giving paid advice to Channel4 over the 2007 Big Brother race row.
Mr Phillips's supporters argue that many of his critics are wedded to outdated political views about how to combat discrimination and fail to understand his more sophisticated strategy.
Reader views (4)
We can start to bring an end to ALL discrimination, including so called positive discrimination. to help this we can start by scrapping this bloated quango.
- Barry, woking, GB
at he same time, how about a deal to remve this EHRC, another waste of taxpayers money it's cuts like this that we need !!
- Neil, london
Get rid of the whole thing and save us all some money.
- Jeremy E, Home Counties
And here was me thinking he was doing a good job by criticising all fairly. Not just supporting the minority view.
- Alan, carlisle uk
