Global Courant 2023-04-28 17:57:05
It’s Richard Sharp. The former premier appointed him at the head of the chain after the businessman provided him with a juicy loan.
The president of the British public broadcaster BBC, Richard Sharp, submitted his resignation this Friday, cornered by a conflict of interest after it was made public that he facilitated a loan to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, before he appointed him to the post.
Sharp, a former employee of the financial institutions JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, acknowledged that he facilitated the loan for a value of 800,000 pounds (about 900,000 euros) to Johnson, which constituted an a priori violation -and “involuntary”, according to his words- of the BBC code of conduct.
A conduct report on Sharp specifically revealed two conflicts of interest: first, that Sharp informed Johnson that he wanted the position before officially filing his candidacy in November 2020, and second, that he introduced Canadian millionaire Sam Blyth to then-secretary of the government cabinet, Simon Case, to “help (Johnson) with his personal finances.”
Richard Sharp. Photo: AFP
“In retrospect, I wish I had thought of mentioning this possible conflict of interest,” Sharp said in an interview with the BBC itself. “I would like to apologize for this slip up, however inadvertent, and for the distraction caused,” she added.
As regards the loan, Sharp reiterated that he acted in “good faith” and that he reminded the cabinet secretary of the appointment rules at all times.
A person with integrity”
The British public broadcasting board, for its part, in an official statement, confirmed that it accepted the resignation of Sharp, whom they describe in any case as a “person of integrity” who has fulfilled the duties of his mandate, as supervisor of the medium and guarantor of its independence.
“He has been a true defender of the BBC and its mission, and why this corporation is an invaluable asset to the country, both inside and outside its borders,” the note added.
A screen displays the news of Richard Sharp’s resignation. Photo: AP
Sharp will remain in his position on an interim basis until his resignation becomes effective in June.
Culture Minister Lucy Fraser said she “understands and respects” his decision and thanked him in a letter for his work as BBC president.
The presenter Gary Lineker, who recently led a controversy after being suspended from the body for comparing the rhetoric of the British government with that of the 1930s, considered that the BBC president should not be chosen by the government. “Not now and not ever,” he tweeted.
what is bbc
The BBC is the UK’s public radio, television and internet service, funded primarily through a television tax paid by those who own a TV receiver in the country, as well as a parliamentary grant administered by the British Foreign Office.
This inescapable chain of the British audiovisual landscape celebrated its centenary in the boreal autumn, hit by the competition of the payment platforms and the threats that hang over its public financing.
The BBC has also come under fire in recent years from the ruling Conservatives, who accuse it of biased coverage – especially of Brexit – and of focusing on the concerns of urban elites rather than the concerns of the popular classes.
Agencies
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