When IDS was appointed to Welfare and Pensions, I jokingly said “Surprised it wasn’t Frank Field”.
And so it will be. Sort of. Frank Field (Labour MP) will be a poverty tsar.
Field, a long-time champion of welfare reform, has been asked to lead a major review into levels of poverty across Britain. He is also expected to study how poverty should be measured in the future.
The appointment, which could be officially confirmed in the next few days, comes as the Prime Minister seeks to boost his coalition between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats with a number of outside figures in key roles.
Mr Cameron has asked Will Hutton, the Labour-supporting economist and former newspaper editor, to head a separate review into pay inequality.
Field recently retained his parliamentary seat with a majority of 15,395 (up 2,461 from 2005). Very interesting appointment.
