Sun’s Trevor Kavanagh appointed to board of IPSO

Sun columnist Trevor Kavanagh has been appointed to the board of the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

Kavanagh (pictured) was political editor of the newspaper between 1983 and 2006 and then chief leader writer until 2008.

He joins the board along with Ruth Sawtell, who IPSO said has a "wealth of experience as a board member in regulatory bodies and in organisations that handle consumer complaints". She currently sits on the boards of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and at PhonepayPlus.

They were appointed by IPSO's appointments panel, chaired by Sir Hayden Phillips.

Kavanagh replaces Bill Newman, who in July said he had been sacked because of his "connection to The Sun". He was managing editor of The Sun in 1989 and wrote a letter to Hillsborough families defending the paper's coverage of the disaster.

Sawtell replaces Ros Altmann, who stepped down following her appointment as pensions minister at the Department for Work and Pensions.

IPSO chairman Sir Alan Moses, said: "Trevor Kavanagh has an unparalleled reputation as a political journalist. His membership of the Board demonstrates the value and importance distinguished journalists attribute to IPSO.”

The appointment of Kavanagh has been condemned by campaign group Hacked Off.

Evan Harris, the joint executive director, told The Guardian: “Trevor Kavanagh’s appointment to the laughably entitled Independent Press Standards Organisation means that IPSO has abandoned even the pretence of independence from the industry."