MPS demand right of veto for top Ofcom appointments

MPS HAVE demanded a right of veto over senior appointments to Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, following reports that No 10 had earmarked the role for one of the BBC’S fiercest critics.

Paul Dacre, the former editor of the Daily Mail, is understood to be the Prime Minister’s favoured choice for Ofcom chairman.

At the same time, No 10 is said to favour Lord Moore of Etchingham, the Daily Telegraph columnist and former editor, as the next chairman of the BBC, a post that has yet to be advertised publicly.

The DCMS Committee is urging the Government to ensure that the process to appoint both roles is “fair and seen to be fair”.

Julian Knight, Tory MP and chairman of t he committee, s ai d: “Those appointed to head up the BBC and the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, will play a critical role in a fast-changing media landscape. Transparency must be at the heart of the process and this committee is determined to ensure that is what we will get.

“We cannot have a fair process undermined by politicking. Cabinet ministers must not indulge in public speculation or private briefing about potential appointments to either of these posts if the integrity of the appointments process is to be maintained.

“To increase scrutiny, we’re asking for a statutory veto over the appointment and dismissal of the next chair of Ofcom, a power that has been called for repeatedly and has precedent elsewhere.” The proposed veto would be similar to the one afforded to the Treasury Committee over appointments to the Office of Budget Responsibility.

In a letter to Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, Mr Knight said: “We are concerned that, if senior members of the Government promote names in public ahead of an appointment, the eventual appointment of such a person would cast doubt on the fairness of the process regardless of the candidate’s merit.”

Mr Dowden fuelled speculation about the appointments of Mr Dacre and Lord Moore earlier this week when

‘We can’t have people just given the roles because they happen to be friends with the Prime Minister’

he said there were “clearly strengths” to both candidates.

As reported in the Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson believes the Left has too much influence via the leadership of key institutions, and is “determined” to rebalance Britain’s quangos.

Paul Siegert, NUJ national broadcasting organiser, said: “It shouldn’t even be a matter of debate whether the chairs of the BBC board and Ofcom are chosen through a fair and transparent process.

“These are two of the most important roles in the media industry and we can’t have people just given the roles because they happen to be friends with the Prime Minister. There are plenty of more suitable candidates who would do much better jobs than the current names being mentioned.”