Former BP executive, who was criticised for his role in Texas refinery explosion, becomes chief of civil service
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 governments 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.