…By Henry George for TDPel Media.
Former commissioner for public appointments, Sir Peter Riddell, has called for an examination into Boris Johnson’s role in the appointment of Richard Sharp as the chairman of the BBC.
Sir Peter argued that Mr Johnson had a conflict of interest in the process, and there are also questions about the loan that was made to him.
Mr Johnson recommended Mr Sharp for the position after he told the then-prime minister about his friend Sam Blyth’s offer to help him with his financial troubles.
Mr Sharp resigned as chairman of the BBC last week after a review found that he had broken rules by not disclosing his role in getting Mr Johnson an £800,000 loan guarantee.
The first paragraph highlights the need for an examination into Boris Johnson’s role in Richard Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman.
Sir Peter Riddell, the former commissioner for public appointments, has argued that Johnson’s role has not been discussed enough.
The second paragraph highlights the conflict of interest that Mr Johnson had in the appointment process.
Sir Peter questions whether Mr Johnson should have recused himself from the appointment process.
The third paragraph highlights questions about conflicts involving Boris Johnson’s role and who made the loan to him.
Sir Peter wrote on Twitter that “big questions remain” about these issues.
The fourth paragraph summarises the findings of the review by barrister Adam Heppinstall, which found that Mr Sharp had breached the code governing public appointments twice.
The report also noted the support Mr Sharp received from Downing Street during the hiring process.
The fifth paragraph highlights the “curiously murky” exchanges between Mr Sharp and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.
Sir Peter also questions whether the Cabinet Office should have told colleagues in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport about “what was happening with the private finances”.
The final paragraph notes that Mr Johnson has declined to comment on the findings of the inquiry.
In summary, there are concerns about Boris Johnson’s role in Richard Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman, and there are also questions about the loan made to him.
The report by Adam Heppinstall found that Mr Sharp had breached the code governing public appointments.
There are also concerns about the exchanges between Mr Sharp and Simon Case, and whether the Cabinet Office should have disclosed information about Mr Sharp’s private finances.