Boris Johnson today hit out at ‘complete nonsense’ over claims the BBC chairman helped him secure a £800,000 loan while he was prime minister.
The former premier said the reports about Richard Sharp’s involvement were ‘just another example of the BBC disappearing up its own fundament’.
Mr Johnson, who has returned to London after a weekend trip to Ukraine, also insisted Mr Sharp ‘knows absolutely nothing about my personal finances – let me tell you that for 100 per cent ding dang sure’.
It has been reported that Mr Sharp was involved in talks about how to arrange a loan guarantee for Mr Johnson in November and December 2020.
The discussions are said to have taken place just weeks before the then-PM recommended Mr Sharp for the role as BBC chairman.
Downing Street today denied the appointment of Mr Sharp was an example of ‘cronyism’ and insisted hiring processes were ‘properly’ followed.
Meanwhile, Mr Sharp, a former Goldman Sachs banker and an ex-adviser to current PM Rishi Sunak when he was Chancellor, has ordered an internal review into any possible ‘conflicts of interest’.
In a statement, he admitted the row had become a ‘distraction’ for the BBC but insisted he had been given the BBC chairmanship ‘on merit’.
Boris Johnson hit out at ‘complete nonsense’ over claims the BBC chairman helped him secure a £800,000 loan while he was prime minister
It has been reported that Richard Sharp was involved in talks about how to arrange a loan guarantee for Mr Johnson in November and December 2020
The discussions are said to have taken place just weeks before the then-PM recommended Mr Sharp for the role as BBC chairman
Mr Johnson is reported to have secured a loan of up to £800,000 in late 2020 at a time when he faced financial troubles over divorce payments, childcare costs and bills for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
According to The Sunday Times, Sam Blyth, a multimillionaire Canadian businessman and distant cousin of Mr Johnson, raised the idea of acting as the PM’s guarantor and asked Mr Sharp, an old friend, for advice on the best way forward.
The newspaper claimed that Mr Sharp later discussed the matter with Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, while Mr Johnson, Mr Sharp and Mr Blyth are all said to have had a private dinner at Chequers before the loan was finalised.
Labour have called for a probe into Mr Sharp’s subsequent appointment as BBC chairman – a role he is said to have already applied for before entering talks about Mr Johnson’s loan – in January 2021.
Asked about the reports this morning, Mr Johnson told Sky News: ‘This is a load of complete nonsense, absolute nonsense.
‘Let me just tell you, Richard Sharp is a good and a wise man but he knows absolutely nothing about my personal finances, let me tell you that for 100 per cent ding, dang sure.
‘This is just another example of the BBC disappearing up its own fundament.’
Mr Sunak was also quizzed about the row during a visit to a hospital in Northamptonshire this morning.
The PM, who is also facing questions about the tax affairs of Tory party chairman Nadhim Zahawi, insisted Mr Sharp went through a ‘rigorous’ and ‘independent’ appointments process before becoming BBC chairman.
‘This appointment was obviously made by one of my predecessors before I became PM,’ Mr Sunak said.
‘The appointments process itself for appointing the BBC chairman is a rigorous process, it is independent, there are two stages to it, it is transparent and published online.
‘Mr Sharp’s appointment went through that full process.’
Mr Sharp himself has apologised to BBC staff for the ‘distraction’ the row has caused.
In a statement he confirmed he had spoken to Mr Blyth and Mr Case about financial support for Mr Johnson at a time when he had already submitted an application to become BBC chairman.
He said that he and Mr Case ‘both agreed that to avoid any conflict that I should have nothing further to do with the matter’.
‘At that point there was no detail on the proposed arrangements and I had no knowledge of whether any assistance was possible, or could be agreed,’ he added.
‘Since that meeting I have had no involvement whatsoever with any process. Even now, I don’t know any more than is reported in the media about a loan or reported guarantee.’
Mr Johnson insisted Mr Sharp ‘knows absolutely nothing about my personal finances – let me tell you that for 100 per cent ding dang sure’
Rishi Sunak, speaking on a visit to a hospital in Northamptonshire, insisted Mr Sharp went through a ‘rigorous’ and ‘independent’ appointments process before becoming BBC chairman
In his statement to ‘set out the facts’, Mr Sharp insisted that he ‘was appointed on merit, in a process which was independently monitored’.
He also stressed that he had ‘never hidden my longstanding relationship’ with Mr Johnson, for who he worked as an adviser during the ex-PM’s spell as London mayor.
‘We have many challenges at the BBC, and I know that distractions such as this are not welcomed,’ Mr Sharp said.
‘Our work at the BBC is rooted in trust. Although the appointment of the BBC chairman is solely a matter for the Government, I want to ensure that all the appropriate guidelines have been followed within the BBC since I have joined.
‘The nominations committee of the BBC board has responsibility for regularly reviewing board members’ conflicts of interest and I have agreed with the board’s senior independent director, Sir Nicholas Serota, that the committee shall assess this when it next meets, reporting to the board, and in the interests of transparency publish the conclusions.’
Labour’s shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell yersterday wrote to William Shawcross, the commissioner for public appointments, to ask him to investigate the appointment process for Mr Sharp.
Downing Street has denied Mr Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman was an example of ‘cronyism’.
The PMs official spokesman said: ‘There are processes in place to ensure that these appointments are done properly. That was followed in this instance.’
A BBC spokesman said: ‘The BBC plays no role in the recruitment of the Chair and any questions are a matter for the Government.’
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