David Cameron’s efforts to secure a plum job for his former political mentor hit a further setback yesterday as Andrew Lansley was turned down by the United Nations.
The prime minister’s decision to nominate Mr Lansley for the role as a global humanitarian chief met with resistance from Ban Ki Moon, the UN secretary-general, and other diplomats because of his lack of relevant experience. As a result, Mr Cameron had to put up two other candidates, the Conservative MPs Stephen O’Brien and Caroline Spelman.
Yesterday Mr O’Brien, a former international development minister and special envoy to the Sahel region of Africa, was announced as the successor to Baroness Amos, who will step down at the end of May.
The UN nomination was Mr Cameron’s second attempt to find a job for Mr Lansley, a former health secretary who was demoted after initiating a tumultuous reorganisation of the NHS.
Last summer the prime minister put him forward for a post in the European Commission, but the role went to Lord Hill of Oareford, the Tory peer, instead.
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Mr Lansley gave his future leader his first political job in the Conservative research department almost 30 years ago. In an interview with The House magazine in 2013, he said that he had spotted Mr Cameron’s potential and joked that he wanted to be remembered for having done so.