MPs line up to oppose Abu Dhabi bid for Telegraph

CULTURE Secretary Lucy Frazer faced renewed pressure to bar an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover of The Telegraph yesterday.

Some 73 MPs – including a Cabinet minister and prominent frontbenchers from both main parties – voiced opposition to the bid over the threat to Press freedom.

The Culture Secretary ordered an Ofcom review last month following concerns over editorial independence at the Telegraph titles and The Spectator magazine, and a potential threat to national security.

MPs expressed concern over the takeover by RedBird IMI, a private equity joint venture three-quarters funded by International Media Investments (IMI), an Abu Dhabi firm backed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice-president of the United Arab Emirates.

One Cabinet minister told The

‘I hope it won’t go ahead’

Telegraph: ‘I do not support the sale and I hope it won’t go ahead.’ Four other Tory ministers are also understood to have concerns about editorial independence. At least five shadow ministers were also said to be against the takeover.

One member of Sir Keir Starmer’s frontbench team told The Telegraph that the wider implications meant the proposed deal should be scrutinised by the National Security Council.

The Telegraph contacted all 650 MPs to ask if they supported the sale and said only three – Tory MPs Sir Gavin Williamson, Sir Brandon Lewis and Daniel Kawczynski – were in favour.

The proposed takeover by RedBird IMI halted an auction for the title. Bidders had included the publisher of the Daily Mail and Sir Paul Marshall, co-owner of GB News.

Ofcom’s recommendations are expected in weeks, but Ms Frazer has the power to block or approve the takeover.