Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman attacked by Richard Caborn after Ed Balls spat
CABINET minister Ed Balls has fought back in his battle with Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman over the appointment of a new Children's Commisioner.
Mr Sheerman has accused the Labour heavyweight and friend of Gordon Brown of being a "bully" in the row.
The rift started on Monday over Mr Balls’ decision to appoint former Dewsbury teacher Dr Maggie Atkinson despite the Commons Children’s, Schools and Families Committee refusal to endorse her as successor to Sir Al Aynsley-Green.
It was the first time a select committee had failed to approve a major public appointment since being given powers earlier this year to scrutinise candidates at pre-appointment hearings.
In an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, committee chairman Mr Sheerman, said it was "a bad day for parliamentary democracy".
He added: "Most of us know that Ed Balls is a bit of a bully and he likes his own way."
But yesterday Mr Balls insisted he had picked "the most independent candidate".
Speaking at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children, he said: "She is not the candidate I would have picked if I wanted an easy life."
He said that he was, "confident" in his decision because of the, "wide spread acclaim" Dr Atkinson had received from children’s charities and other independent bodies working in child welfare.
"The committee has a veto I take very seriously. I did not think they made arguments to make me change my mind."
"The Conservative Party have been telling people that they want to get rid of the Children’s Commissioner entirely, I wasn’t going to let that get in the way of choosing a tough independent candidate."
In its report, the committee questioned the willingness of Dr Atkinson - who is currently Gateshead Council’s director of children’s services - to "assert the independence of the role" and to champion children’s rights.
Prominent Labour backbencher Richard Caborn yesterday said it was "unacceptable" for Mr Sheerman to use his position as a select committee chairman to undermine Dr Atkinson’s position.
And he called on the Huddersfield MP to make clear whether he intends to stand for election to the post of chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, as widely suspected in Westminster.
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