Labour's Charles Clarke, whose career spanned the prominent roles of both education secretary and home secretary, has been hired by KPMG.

Whitehall departments have criticised the move in the light of the fact that the firm was paid £1.3m when Clarke headed the then Department for Education and Skills.

His contract with the firm, which constitutes advising on public service reforms, is expected to run for a year, the Daily Mail reported.

Clarke is the latest Labour MP reported to have taken advantage of corporate connections, after Tony Blair landed a lucrative position at JP Morgan and Zurich Financial Services.

Ex-ministers David Blunkett and Patricia Hewitt are also understood to have taken up high-paying private sector roles.