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White House Correspondent
Lisa Nandy has snubbed the wife of a former Tory MP who was on course to become chair of London’s Royal Parks.
The culture secretary has cancelled the appointment of Lady Archer to the prominent role, reappointing ex-MasterChef presenter Loyd Grossman instead.
Lady Archer is married to novelist and former Tory MP Lord Archer and was handed the prestigious job by Rishi Sunak’s government in May.
But after Labour won a landslide in July’s general election, Ms Nandy suspended the appointment, keeping Mr Grossman in place until next May while the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) searches for a replacement.
Mr Grossman has held the role since 2016.
London’s Royal Parks charity looks after the capital’s most iconic parks including Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Richmond Park.
Royal Parks chief executive Andrew Scattergood in May said he was “delighted” by the appointment of Lady Archer to the role and that her experience would be “hugely valuable to us as we look forward to an exciting period”.
But, with Ms Nandy having replaced Lucy Frazer as culture secretary, she has decided to reopen the recruitment process for an appointee to the unpaid position.
The government of the day can axe the political appointees of a previous administration if those figures have not yet started their jobs.
Announcing Mr Grossman’s reappointment, DCMS said: “Any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.
“Loyd Grossman has not declared any significant political activity.”
But, speaking to The Daily Telegraph, parliament’s culture committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage described the decision as “spiteful”.
She said: “Lady Archer has the qualifications and experience for this role, the chief executive of The Royal Parks said so himself.
“It’s disappointing that the government has made this ill judged and spiteful decision.”
Lady Archer is chancellor of the University of Buckingham and chaired the board of trustees of the Science Museum from 2015 to 2023.
She also chaired the board of Cambridge University Hospitals from 2002 to 2012 and was made a dame in 2012 for services to the NHS.
DCMS said a fair and open competition to appoint a new chairman would be run.
