The post of children's commissioner has been turned into a political football
Ed Balls has steamrollered the appointment of Maggie Atkinson despite her nomination being snubbed by the children; schools and families select committee.
Seems pretty clear that committee chair Barry Sheerman and opposition members on the committee want to give Balls a kick in the teeth, but Balls will do his reputation no good in pressing on regardless.
Atkinson has been accused of being close to New Labour. She has been president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services under this government. But she was hardly a government poodle. Indeed, she was said to frequently be a thorn in the side of the Department for Children's Schools and Families. In other words, she was doing here job.
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