Management skills of equalities commission called into question

Trevor Phillips, the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), is facing mounting pressure to resign his post.

The chairman's management style is under fire while the commission has been criticised by the public spending watchdog for re-employing senior staff after giving them generous early severance packages.

However, despite the increasing pressure on him to step down, his supporters have rallied to back his management style.

Six commissioners have left the body in the past four months, increasing the pressure on chairman Phillips, and MPs are set to put the running of the commission under closer scrutiny.

But supporters of Mr Phillips say he is not going to resign.

Mr Phillips was appointed to a second term as commission chairman this month and still has the backing of ministers.

However, a series of resignations of senior officials and reports of internal splits have raised question marks about how the organisation is being managed.

According to its website, the EHRC strategy is driven by its vision of a better Britain built on principles of fairness and respect, its statutory duty to eradicate discrimination, and the needs of the society in which it operates.