Dhe BBC chairman Richard Sharp has resigned over his role in brokering a loan to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. An investigative report released on Friday found that Sharp had to indicate his role in the process when applying. He violated the rules for public appointments.
The report makes two critical points: Sharp informed Johnson in advance that he wanted to apply for the BBC. He then told Johnson during the selection process that he would put Cabinet Secretary Simon Case in touch with a Canadian millionaire who had offered to help the Prime Minister with his finances. This could have given the impression that Sharp influenced Johnson and cast doubt on Sharp’s independence.
Resignation in the interests of the broadcaster
Attorney Adam Heppinstall, who was charged with the investigation, said he would not judge Sharp’s independence. Parliament’s culture committee had previously criticized his behavior. When he resigned, Sharp emphasized that Heppinstall had accepted his explanation that it was a mistake. The breach does not necessarily invalidate his appointment. Nevertheless, he resigns in the interest of the BBC. Sharp will remain in office until the end of June while a successor is being sought.
The January 2021 appointment of the former Goldman Sachs banker and Tory financier as BBC chairman was controversial because of his Conservative Party ties. The Johnson administration had been looking for someone for a long time. In his short time as boss, however, Sharp repeatedly campaigned for the broadcaster, which was constantly under pressure from the government. However, since the Sunday Times unveiled the credit story in January, Sharp has disappeared from the scene. This was particularly evident during the crisis surrounding football presenter Gary Lineker’s political tweets, from which the BBC emerged as the clear loser. Sharp’s resignation now allows the government to ensure that a preferred candidate runs the station for the next four years, even if there is a change of government in the next election.
