Alan Milburn accused of betraying Labour party

Aug 16 2010 by Neil McKay, The Journal

FORMER Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn was accused of “betraying the people of the North East” after taking up a high-profile job with the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition Government.

Mr Milburn, who stepped down as Darlington MP at this year’s General Election, will lead an independent review on social mobility for the new coalition Government, a spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg last night confirmed.

In his new role, Mr Milburn will look at how the policies of major institutions – including the professions, business and government – are contributing towards the goal of a more socially mobile society.

But he faced a growing backlash from former Labour colleagues last night over the support his role could be seen to be giving to the coalition Government.

Mr Milburn – who lives in Stocksfield, Northumberland – will be the third prominent Labour figure to be taken on by the new coalition Government in an advisory role. Another former cabinet minister, John Hutton, is conducting a review of public sector pensions, while backbencher Frank Field is leading a review on tackling poverty.

Labour leadership candidate Andy Burnham, speaking to The Journal in Gateshead, yesterday urged the former Darlington MP who was born in Tow Law, County Durham, and brought up in Newcastle, to reject the role.

He said: “For Alan Milburn to accept this role would be a kick in the teeth for all Labour party supporters in the North East.

“It is the coalition Government’s policies which are choking the life out of this region.

“None of us, loyal card carrying members, would provide a Labour gloss to the damage this ConDem government is inflicting. If Alan Milburn is considering accepting this role then I would urge him to reconsider.

“Joining a government that is taking hope away from young people, whose first action was to scrap the Future Jobs Fund, is no way to increase social mobility, and it is no way to treat the good people who voted for a Labour candidate.”