100 MPs warn against sale of Telegraph to UAE fund

MORE than 100 MPs have warned that selling The Daily Telegraph to a UAE-backed investment fund risks Press freedom in Britain being ‘seriously undermined’.

MPs from five different parties have backed powers to block the sale of a UK news media organisation to a foreign government without parliamentary approval.

Their action comes as RedBird IMI, which is majority- owned by the United Arab Emirates’ International Media Investments, tries to buy the Telegraph Media Group.

A letter signed by the crossparty group of MPs was sent by former housing minister Robert Jenrick to Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer. It called on ministers to accept a proposed amendment to the Digital Markets Bill that has been tabled in the House of Lords by Tory peer Baroness

‘We must protect our free Press’

Stowell, which would require Parliament’s approval for any such type of deal.

It comes after it was revealed last week that the proposed Telegraph takeover had been called in for a security review by the Government. Officials from the Investment Security Unit, part of the Cabinet Office, have been looking at the bid.

The letter from MPs to Ms Frazer said: ‘If major newspaper and media organisations can be purchased by foreign governments, the freedom of the Press in the UK has the potential to be seriously undermined.

‘No other democracy in the world has allowed a media outlet to be controlled by a foreign government. This is a dangerous Rubicon we should not cross.’

Mr Jenrick said: ‘Our free Press is a cornerstone of our democracy. We must do everything we can to protect it.’