The Government's health secretary has rejected claims of "cronyism" after a Conservative peer was selected to lead a new body that will replace Public Health England.
Matt Hancock has defended the appointment of Dido Harding - who is married to Weston MP John Penrose.
Mr Penrose sits on the advisory board of a free market think tank, 1828, whose contributors have called for the NHS to be replaced by an insurance system and for Public Health England to be abolished.
Mr Penrose previously said he does "not necessarily agree" with all of the ideas it shares.
Baroness Harding currently heads up England’s criticised 'test and trace' system and has been named as the chair of the National Institute for Health Protection.
She was at university with David Cameron and he made her a life peer in 2014.
Critics, including former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, have accused the Government of "cronyism" following Baroness Harding's appointment.
Labour MP Paula Barker claimed it marked the "start of the dismantling of the NHS".
Health secretary Matt Hancock told BBC News he “strongly objected” to claims of “cronyism” in Baroness Harding's appointment.
Asked if she was qualified for the new role, health secretary Matt Hancock said she was “simply the best person who could be doing this job now”.
The National Institute for Health Protection was set up this week as a single leadership structure bringing together Public Health England, NHS Test and Trace and the analytical capability of the Joint Biosecurity Centre.
North Somerset Council deputy leader Mike Bell questioned how replacing Public Health England helped the fight against coronavirus.
Mr Hancock told BBC News: "Now is the moment to do it because we’ve got to make sure we’re ready to keep this virus down, and so we’re ready should there be a second wave.
“Baroness Harding has been the chair of NHS improvement works, as well as having excellent experience externally, where she’s run very large organisations.
"That combination, and over the past several months she’s been running NHS Test and Trace, and building that essentially from scratch. Her leadership will be vital in driving this forward.”
Mr Penrose and Baroness Harding were both approached for comment.
