The Government was caught up in a second cronyism row yesterday after it emerged that four out of the ten members of a new equal opportunity board are Labour supporters.

It comes a day after The Times revealed that 5 of the 12 members of the Big Lottery Board, which will distribute £2.3 billion of lottery money, are Labour Party members.

The Tories will complain formally to Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, over the appointments, claiming that Labour has “shamelessly politicised the lottery”.

A spokeswoman for the Culture Department admitted that Ms Jowell “may have been aware” of the party affiliation of Sir Clive Booth, the new chairman, before he was appointed. Sir Clive campaigned for Labour in the past three general elections.

The spokeswoman said that appointments were made on merit and political activity played no part. She added: “The appointments process is carried out in accordance with the code of practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.”

However, the row over political appointments spread to a second front after it emerged that the Commission for Equality and Human Rights board, appointed by Ruth Kelly, the Communities Secretary, is packed with Labour supporters.

Baroness Prosser, who will be deputy chairman, is a Labour peer, and Kay Carberry, a board member and assistant general secretary of the TUC, has canvassed on behalf of the Labour Party.

A third member of the board is Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall, who used to be a Labour councillor. Although still a Labour Party member, since taking his present role he has not engaged in any political activity.

The chairman of the board will be Trevor Phillips, the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality, who wanted to be Labour’s candidate for London mayor in 1999.

A spokesman for Ms Kelly said that the appointments were in line with the rules, and the individuals were chosen because they had a “proven track record in promoting equality and tackling discrimination”. There will be a second round of appointments in the new year and the body will start work in October 2007.

Hugo Swire, the Shadow Culture Secretary, said: “We are deeply concerned that ministers appear to be packing important committees with members of the Labour Party and this is happening across government. We are seeing control by stealth from the Government over a huge range of powerful decision-making bodies.”

Applicants for jobs on public bodies are not required to declare their membership of a political party — only whether they have engaged in “political activity”. But, under the rules set out by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments, information about political activity is withheld from the shortlisting panel and the minister making the final decision.

Seeing red

Derek Mapp chairman of Sport England: Labour donor. Lent holiday home to John Prescott

Sue Campbell chairman of UK Sport: former adviser to Tessa Jowell

Baroness Morgan board member, Olympic Delivery Authority: former Cabinet Office Minister

Ed Richards Ofcom chief executive: former Downing Street adviser

Sir Ronald Cohen board member, British Museum: Labour donor

Tristram Hunt board member, National Heritage Memorial Fund: former Labour researcher and political adviser

Source: Conservative Party research

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