Former culture secretary emerges as early front-runner to chair BBC

Baroness Morgan one of two leading candidates but decision delayed to allow job to be advertised fully

FORMER Cabinet minister Baroness Morgan has emerged as an early frontrunner to chair the BBC but any appointment has been pushed back so the Government can advertise the job.

Lady Morgan, who served as culture secretary until February this year, is understood to have been one of two candidates informally approached for the £100,000-a-year job. Oliver Dowden, who succeeded her as Culture Secretary, returns tomorrow from holiday and the appointment is said to be “in the top of his in-tray”.

Downing Street has denied claims that an announcement was due to have been made later this month.

Government sources said they now expected the appointment to replace Sir David Clementi, who stands down in February, to come in October around the time of the “virtual” Conservative party conference.

Lady Morgan is understood to be one of two favourites for the role.

Another leading candidate is said to come from the tech sector and could appeal to the Government if they can find alternative funding models to the licence fee.

A source said: “No 10 has to decide if they want someone who will bash a few heads together, or somebody who is going to nudge things along but not necessarily do it confrontationally.

“No 10 is obsessed with the tech people so it could be someone with a tech digital background, somebody who comes in from outside, a different sector, different background.”

The Royal Charter of the BBC states that the appointment of the chairman may only be made “following a fair and open competition”.

It says that the Secretary of State must consult the BBC on the process for appointing the chairman, including on the job specification. However, the job has yet to be advertised publicly and it is understood the corporation has not been provided with a timeline.

A female chairman is a strong possibility as the Government’s Diversity Action Plan includes the goal that by 2022 half of all new appointees to public roles should be women.

Lady Morgan would be a popular choice with Tim Davie, the incoming director general, who worked with her at the Culture Department.

Amber Rudd, the former Tory home secretary and prominent Remainer, who was sounded out by headhunters for the director general job, is expected to apply for the chairman role. One source said that while Baroness Morgan, was a favourite the fact that she voted Remain could play a part.

The source said: “We know what Boris feels about the BBC. It is the same as what he feels about the EU. He is going to find a male Brexit mate [for the job].”

Another source claimed a soft left Tory like Baroness Morgan or Ms Rudd “would go native within a month”.

Other Brexiteers who could be in the running include Sir Robbie Gibb, a former BBC executive and former No 10 communications director, or Dan Hannan, the former Tory MEP who missed out on a seat in the Lords in the last round of peerages.

Separately Andrew Neil, the BBC presenter and chairman of The Specta

tor, has also been mooted.