A LEADING Liverpool University academic has been warned to keep his distance from the campaign to halt the rebuilding of the Royal hospital.

Dr Alex Scott-Samuel, who heads the Liverpool public health observatory, was commissioned to write the report into the viability of the rebuild which found it would “offer a number of benefits”.

But he was also involved with Keep Our NHS Public (KONP), which launched a High Court case to try to stop the project on the grounds the private finance arrangement (PFI) would be so costly that debt repayments would be prioritised ahead of patient care.

After complaints from central ward councillor Nick Small about Dr Scott-Samuel’s involvement with KONP, arguing a possible conflict of interest given the university’s close links with the Royal, the academic was sent a stiff warning not to associate the university’s name with the campaign.

The letter, from executive pro-vice chancellor Professor Ian Greer, read: “I can inform you that Dr Scott-Samuel has already been made aware that it is inappropriate for the university to be associated with the pressure group KONP or any other organisation that he represents in a personal capacity.

“He fully appreciates the need to exercise caution in his future dealings, and I can assure you that no communication of this nature involving him will refer to his role at the university.”