The Scotsman, 12 June 2006

by James Kirkup

ONE of Labour's biggest financial backers has called for an inquiry into government advisers and spin doctors, warning that former aides are using "privileged personal access" to ministers to make money.

The GMB union, which in the last three months alone has given Labour £290,000, yesterday released a research paper tracing the careers of the original crop of Labour government advisers.

Labour has made extensive use of "special advisers", whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer but who are, unlike ordinary civil servants, allowed to engage in party politics. Many of the 80 or so advisers currently employed act as spokespeople for Cabinet ministers.

The growth in their numbers has previously led to complaints that Labour is bypassing normal civil service rules, and now the GMB has joined the critics.

According to the union's research into the 79 special advisers Labour employed in 1997, 20 went on to "very well paid jobs" that appeared to have some connection with their former role in government. Ten others set up their own companies or work for firms loosely connected with the government.

Among the former advisers whose careers the report traces are Wendy Alexander, who later served as finance minister in the Scottish Executive, and David Whitton, a former Executive spin doctor turned PR consultant who is hoping to become a Labour MSP next year.

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: "Special advisers are paid from the public purse. We are calling for an inquiry into the rules governing the subsequent employment of special advisers when they leave their role in government.

"This should be to see what changes are needed to ensure that they cannot cash in on their privileged personal access."