Kemi Badenoch gives leadership campaign donor equalities job

Kemi Badenoch said Joanne Cash, a former Tory candidate and human rights barrister, had ‘a track record of promoting women’s rights and freedom of expression’. Photograph: Tejas Sandhu/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock

The business secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has appointed an equalities commissioner who had previously donated to her leadership campaign, the Guardian can reveal.

Joanne Cash, a former Tory candidate, was made a commissioner to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) board in January. Badenoch announced the appointment, in her capacity as equalities minister, saying Cash had “a track record of promoting women’s rights and freedom of expression”.