Views incompatible with charity's aims says complaint
A disability charity is facing pressure over the appointment of its new chief executive who previously praised the UK independence charity.
London-based Kids, which supports disabled children, made former barrister Katie Ghose chief executive in September.
Ghose stepped down as chief executive of Women's Aid in February after footage revealed a speech she made in her previous post at the chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society in which she praised Ukip's "passion for a new way of doing politics" and referred to Douglas Carswell, then a Ukip MP, as "an outstanding MP."
Now Rodney Francisco, a father of one of its service users, has formally written to Stephen Unwin, the chair of the charity, urging him to reconsider her appointment.
He said it beggared belief that the charity had appointed someone who showed support for a right-wing party.
Francisco told Third Sector: "If Mr Unwin is insistent on maintaining that due diligence is not a matter for discussion, then Katie Ghose should be asked to resign because it leaves the reasonable assumption that these aspects of her suitability were not discussed prior to her appointment."
Unwin praised Ghose as a chief executive, saying she was was passionately opposed to racism, intolerance and extremism of all kinds and has never been a member of Ukip or a supporter of its aims.
"During 27 years in the non-profit sector, but especially at the Electoral Reform Society, Katie Ghose has worked to influence members from all political parties, including attending their party meetings and conferences," said Unwin.
