Conservatives accused of ‘vendetta’ after dropping Mike Dailly from UK government board

Mike Dailly

Mr Dailly was told he will no longer have a place on the Money Advice and Pensions Service, even though his colleagues asked for his reappointment.

It is thought that Dominic Cummings orchestrated the move as Mr Dailly supports Scottish independence and membership of the EU.

Mr Dailly was told he would not be retained after the minister for pensions and financial inclusion had “declined” the board’s request for reappointment.

Mr Dailly, principal of Govan Law Centre, said: “This all goes through the Cabinet Office. The minister, ultimately, is Michael Gove. One gets the impression this is party political.”

His MP, Chris Stephens, said the decision was a “disgusting” way to treat any individual.

He said: “Boris Johnson’s UK government has form in kicking out experienced civil servants because of their own personal views. This latest shameful sacking looks dangerously like a respected expert being booted out over their views on Brexit.

“While the Prime Minister seems incapable of sacking Dominic Cummings, who remains in office despite blatantly flouting the lockdown rules, his government seem to have a vendetta against any voice that could be seen to advocate for anything other than the government’s agenda.

“The UK government can’t dodge scrutiny over this - they must appear in from of the Work and Pensions Select Committee to explain exactly why this decision was taken.”

“There is a wider concern here because of statements linked to people like Dominic Cummings filling the civil service with their own people,” Mr Stephens added.

Mr Stephens has written to Stephen Timms MP over the incident, asking him to investigate.

Written confirmation of the UK government’s decision stated: “As previously mentioned, the DWP Public Appointments Team informed me that the secretary of state and minister for pensions and financial inclusion declined the MaPS request to reappoint you to the board. Reappointments and extensions require the agreement of ministers and the governance code sets out there can be no automatic presumption of reappointment.”