Exclusive: Labour accuse Tory peer of “brazen behaviour” after she voted with party whip even though she volunteered to avoid ‘sensitive’ votes due to NHS roles

Baroness Harding took part in vote after promising to abstain (Image)

Test and Trace chief Dido Harding has voted along party lines despite promising the Government’s top civil servant she would abstain.null

The Mirror has seen a letter from new Cabinet Secretary Simon Case saying the controversial Tory peer volunteered to avoid votes on health and social care.

She had been criticised by MPs and peers for following the party whip despite her role as a senior public office holder.

But on Monday she voted against a Labour amendment to review the impact of the Government’s immigration plans on staffing of the social care sector.

Angela Smith, Labour’s leader in the House of Lords said: “Baroness Harding either never intended to keep her commitment not to vote on health and social care issues or just didn’t care enough to find out what the Tory whips had told her to vote against. Either way, it’s brazen behaviour.