Beergate crime tsar in cronyism row as allies take key roles
THE police and crime commissioner embroiled in the ‘Beergate’ controversy that led to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner being investigated by the police is mired in claims of cronyism.
Two political allies who campaigned for Joy Allen when she stood as the Labour candidate for the role in Durham last year have since taken up influential posts in her office. Her deputy, Nigel Bryson, who Mrs Allen has known for more than a decade after meeting at their local Labour branch, was appointed in November without the position being advertised or any formal recruitment process.
Responding to criticism, Mrs Allen admitted that she had worked ‘hand in glove’ with Mr Bryson on her election campaign, adding: ‘I could go through the process but it would just be possibly going through the motions when I’ve got somebody who’s more or less the candidate of choice.’
Andrea Patterson, a former Labour county councillor, was appointed as anti-social behaviour champion in January by a panel on which Mrs Allen sat. She was the only one of six applicants to be interviewed for the post – with a salary up to £34,700. An investigation concluded that while Mrs Allen had not acted corruptly, she had ‘left herself open to the perception or suggestion of nepotism’.
Controversially, the Durham Police and Crime Panel which probed the case refused to make its findings public, citing employee privacy.
Councillor Robert Potts, a former police custody sergeant and a Tory member of the panel, said: ‘If you are giving a job and only have one person to interview for that job who just happens to be a friend, you cannot have any part in the recruitment process. It’s nepotism at its worst.
Mrs Allen, who joined the Labour Party in 1995, has repeatedly denied rumours that she was present at an event at the Miners’ Hall in Redhills, Durham, with Sir Keir and Ms Rayner in April last year during the run-up to the Hartlepool by-election when strict Covid restrictions were in place. Sir Keir was filmed through a window holding a bottle of beer but insisted no rules had been broken and that the group had simply taken a break from work.
Under intense pressure and with Sir Keir and Ms Rayner saying they would resign if fined for breaking the rules, Durham Constabulary eventually investigated the event but this month cleared all those present of any wrongdoing.
Durham County Council last night said the decision not to publish the panel’s findings into the appointment of Ms Patterson followed ‘normal
‘This recruitment process is nepotism at its worst’
processes’, adding: ‘When deciding whether to publish the outcome of any complaint, the panel is required to consider the views of the complainant and the person who is the subject of the complaint. Having considered those representations, the panel is then required to determine whether the publication of the decision is in the public interest.’
The commissioner’s office did not respond to requests to comment.