BBC boss steps down over incriminating report
"The chairman of UK state broadcaster BBC, Richard Sharp, has announced his resignation after a report found him in breach of the governance code for public appointments. The probe uncovered that he had withheld information over his involvement with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s finances, before getting the top job at the media network.
The claim first appeared in the Sunday Times back in January. The commissioner of public appointments subsequently tasked barrister Adam Heppinstall with investigating its veracity.
In a statement published on the BBC’s website on Friday, Sharp insisted that while he “did breach the governance code for public appointments,” the lapse was “inadvertent and not material.” The public broadcaster’s head claimed that the inquiry had confirmed this, concluding that a “breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment.”
Sharp went on to explain that he had decided to vacate his post regardless to “prioritise the interests of the BBC.”
He will, however, remain in office until June when a successor is appointed.
Sharp claims he acted “in good faith” and “with the best of intentions,” when he introduced Canadian multi-millionaire Sam Blyth to the then-prime minister back in December 2020.
The former ended up acting as a loan guarantor for Johnson, with up to £800,000 ($997,440) reportedly provided to the politician. The Times reported that Sharp had facilitated the meeting between the two just weeks before Johnson recommended him for the top job at the BBC.
In his statement on Friday, Sharp described his failure to disclose information about his involvement as an “oversight.”
The allegations against Sharp made by The Times saw multiple Labour lawmakers call for an investigation into the case and for the BBC’s chair resignation.
Sharp eventually spoke in favor of such a review himself, insisting that it would prove there was no conflict of interest in his appointment."
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BBC chief, accused of helping ex-PM Johnson with a loan, quits
Richard Sharp, outgoing chair of national broadcaster, is a former Goldman Sachs banker and Conservative Party donor.
Richard Sharp resigns as BBC chair after failing to declare link to Boris Johnson loan
Investigation says Sharp broke rules on public appointments, creating ‘potential perceived conflict of interest’
Sharp’s resignation comes at a tricky time for the BBC, which has been hit by criticisms it has become too close to the Conservative government – and faces questions over whether it has been too heavily influenced by ministers.
Labour’s Lucy Powell said the incident had “caused untold damage to the reputation of the BBC and seriously undermined its independence as a result of the Conservatives’ sleaze and cronyism”.
She added: “Rishi Sunak should urgently establish a truly independent and robust process to replace Sharp to help restore the esteem of the BBC after his government has tarnished it so much.” . . .The government will now be able to select a new BBC chair on a four-year term, depriving a potential Labour government of making its own appointment until late 2027.
The part-time position involves overseeing the BBC’s operations and managing relationships with the government.
In his resignation statement, Sharp said that “for all its complexities, successes, and occasional failings, the BBC is an incredible, dynamic, and world-beating creative force, unmatched anywhere”.
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