Tim Loughton (Tory MP) said "We know that Labour has stuffed the health service with incompetent Labour cronies. Now John Prescott is rewarding his friends in local government with lucrative positions on these regional quangos."

Of the 46 authority members who declare a political or union affiliation, 66% are linked to Labour, 17% to the Lib Dems, 13% to the Tories and 4% to the unions.