Government accused of big business love-in over Manzoni Whitehall job
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Version 0 of 1. The government has been accused of a “cosy love-in with big business” after it appointed a former executive of oil giant BP to a new role running the civil service. John Manzoni was given the £190,000-a-year job as the government’s first ever chief executive of Whitehall, despite criticism of his safety record at BP following the Texas refinery explosion and his last company, Talisman, being fined over 50 alleged health and safety violations connected with fracking. He was plucked from the world of business to become chief executive of the Major Projects Authority earlier this year, joining Lord Browne, his former boss at BP, in the Cabinet Office. The Guardian understands Browne, who is the government’s lead non-executive director and the chairman of the UK’s leading fracking company, Cuadrilla, was one of six members of the appointment panel who chose Manzoni for the job. While at BP, Manzoni was second-in-command to Lord Browne at the time of the Texas City refinery accident – one of the worst industrial accidents in US history. After the disaster, in which 15 people were killed and 170 injured, a confidential BP report found Manzoni had paid insufficient attention to safety and failed to spot clear warning signs. It accused him of failing to perform his duties in the runup to the explosion and of engaging in a “simply not acceptable” standoff with a colleague. Regulators levied a then-record fine of $21m (£13m) on the company for breaching safety rules. While Manzoni was in charge of Talisman, the company was fined more than $60,000 (£37,000) for alleged violations in reporting hazardous chemicals at 52 sites in Pennsylvania. Among these were natural gas wells and sites of hydraulic fracturing; the company neither confirmed nor denied the allegations in a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency. The company was also criticised in 2011 for producing a 24-page colouring book for children explaining the merits of natural gas extraction, featuring a dinosaur called “Talisman Terry, your friendly Fracosaurus”. Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, said it “simply beggars belief that someone who’s presided over such a disastrous period at BP, should be allowed to join his former BP boss, Lord Browne, to oversee some of the UK’s largest and most controversial projects, as chief executive of the entire civil service. “His appointment strongly suggests that the government’s cosy love-in with big business has blinded them to such a worrying track record.” Manzoni replaces Sir Bob Kerslake, who combined the role of running the civil service with being a permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government, while Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, now reclaims the title of head of the civil service. The government had been looking for someone with private sector experience, and officials had described Manzoni as the “candidate to beat”. David Cameron said he was delighted with the appointment, while Heywood said he brought “a strong private sector performance culture and long experience of running complex businesses that require the full range of commercial, specialist, digital and delivery skills”. “I am excited to take up this post at the heart of government at this crucial time,” Manzoni said. “My priority is building on the existing momentum to strengthen the execution muscle of Whitehall and embed a sustainable productivity agenda across government. “I look forward to playing my part in leading the civil service along with Francis Maude [the Cabinet Office minister] and Jeremy Heywood.” A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said the appointment had gone through the proper processes and Browne did not chair the panel that chose his former employee. |