‘All nonsense’: Johnson defiant as inquiries open over BBC top job
BORIS JOHNSON insisted the BBC chairman “knows nothing about my finances” as two investigations were launched into the circumstances behind a controversial loan.
William Shawcross, the commissioner for public appointments, said he would look into claims that Richard Sharp helped the former prime minister arrange the loan of up to £800,000 in late 2020 – just months before he was appointed as the BBC chairman.
Separately, the BBC announced it would also investigate Mr Sharp over a potential conflict of interest.
Asked about the row yesterday, Mr Johnson told Sky News: “This is a load of complete nonsense, absolute nonsense. Let me just tell you, Richard Sharp is a good and a wise man but he knows absolutely nothing about my personal finances, I can tell you that for 100 per cent ding dang sure. This is just another example of the BBC disappearing up its own fundament.”
Mr Shawcross, who made his announcement in response to a request from Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, said he wanted to “assure myself and the public” that the process was in line with Whitehall rules.
“The role of the commissioner is to oversee the public appointments’ process and ensure appointments are made fairly, openly and on merit,” he said.
“I intend to review this competition to assure myself and the public that the process was run in compliance with the Government’s governance code for public appointments.
“My office has today called for the relevant papers from the Department for Media, Culture and Sport.”
Mr Sharp said he welcomed “any review that will clarify my role in this matter”.
“When approached by the prime minister’s cousin, Mr [Sam] Blyth, for advice on the possibility or feasibility of his supporting the prime minister, I was perfectly clear in my advice and informed him there are proper channels for such matters and the Cabinet Secretary should be informed,” he said.
“So, in the event that Mr Blyth wanted to explore such a possibility, Cabinet Office involvement would ensure it was done appropriately.
“When I subsequently met the Cabinet Secretary we explicitly discussed avoiding a conflict with the appointment process then under way for the BBC. I very much expect that all of this can be confirmed by due process.”
A BBC scrutiny panel will look at any involvement that Mr Sharp had in the deal, which was struck weeks before Mr Johnson recommended him for the top job at the national broadcaster.
Mr Sharp apologised to BBC staff over the fallout from the row in an internal email, sent yesterday morning, that was seen by The Daily Telegraph.
“This matter, although it took place before I joined the BBC, is a distraction for the organisation, which I regret. I’m really sorry about it all,” he wrote.
Speaking during a visit to a hospital in Northamptonshire, Rishi Sunak said: “The appointments process itself for appointing the BBC chairman is a rigorous process, it is independent. There are two stages to it. It is transparent and published online.
“Mr Sharp’s appointment went through that full process.”
Ms Powell told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she had written to Mr Shawcross “because there are some very serious allegations here and real deep concerns about the recruitment process of this very important role in terms of being the chair of the BBC Trust [who is] there to uphold the impartiality and independence of the BBC, something that we hear regularly from this Government that they feel isn’t upheld”.
She added: “Yet we find that the guy appointed to this job was, at the same time, helping to advise the then prime minister on a murky, grubby arrangement deal with his messy finances.”
Last night, former BBC political editor Andrew Marr called on Mr Sharp to resign.
He told LBC Radio: “This Sharp and Johnson story is toxic ... it looks cosy in a way the country hates. It would be much better for the BBC if Richard Sharp stepped aside, and a new chair could be found.”