Why do so many of Dave’s chums have charity jobs?

THE shocking revelations of sexual misconduct by key figures in the charity industry has led to concern about the close links between organisations such as save The Children and the political establishment.

Justin Forsyth quit UniCEF after complaints of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff while in his previous job as head of save The Children. Prior to that, he’d been at oxfam, now embroiled in controversy in Haiti. He is one of many people in the charity sector who worked closely with the Blair and Brown governments.

Then there’s sir alan Parker, the public relations guru who’s president of the international wing of save The Children. He’s a chum of David Cameron, who, after being forced to leave no 10 in a hurry, stayed at Parker’s £3.8 million home for a time.

also, until recently, the charity’s vice chairman was Cameron’s fellow old Etonian, Mark Esiri. The financier invested in upmarket stationers smythson in a deal that led to Cameron’s wife, who was creative director of the firm, getting just over £437,000. Esiri is also an investor in her fashion label.

another Cameron crony on the charity’s board is sebastian James — an old Etonian who featured in that notorious Bullingdon Club photo with the young PM. James is the outgoing chief executive of Dixons Carphone whose founder, lord Kalms, is a long-time Tory donor.

Meanwhile, Fiona McBain, vice chairman of save The Children’s trustees, is a non-executive director of Dixons Carphone.

another trustee is Princess Dora loewenstein, who chaired the organising committee of the Cameron Tories’ controversial Black and White parties, where lobbyists and oligarchs paid to dine with government ministers.

a charity with Princess anne as its patron deserves better than this chintzy carousel of Cameron chums.