Boris Johnson accused of ‘conflict of interest’ over Ofcom chair decision

Boris Johnson has been accused of creating a conflict of interest after appointing a lobbyist for large media companies to help choose the next chair of Ofcom.

Michael Prescott, managing director for corporate and political strategy at Hanover which represents Sky, Facebook and Apple, has been appointed senior external interviewer who will advise the head of the recruiting process for Ofcom’s new chair.

Jo Stevens, Labour MP and secretary for shadow culture, has written to to Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, with concerns about appointing Prescott. Stevens said: “With Ofcom’s new proposed responsibility as the regulator under the Online Safety Bill, this [appointment] would appear to create a conflict of interest.

“It is absolutely essential that there is public trust in the independence of the recruitment process of Ofcom’s new chair.”

Here’s my letter referred to in the @PickardJE @FT piece about the Government’s manipulation and rerunning of the recruitment of the chair of @Ofcom because their man didn’t get it first time round. Yet another example of changing the rules because they don’t like the outcome https://t.co/EO1gsOwoee pic.twitter.com/8CgmHCNkik

— Jo Stevens (@JoStevensLabour) November 7, 2021

The intervention comes after the Government U-turned on a decision last week to introduce a Tory-led committee to re-examine the investigation into Owen Paterson breaking lobbying rules.

Paul Dacre, the former Daily Mail editor, is thought to be the Prime Minister’s favoured candidate for Ofcom chair but a selection panel has already decided Dacre was “not appointable”.

Dacre has been an outspoken critic of both and BBC and online platforms. Ofcom, which regulation broadcast media and telecoms, is due to be given further powers to oversee social media platforms in the UK.

A DCMS spokesperson told the Financial Times that Prescott did not have any direct relationships with Hanover’s clients that were regulated by Ofcom. Meanwhile, Prescott would recuse himself from any business relating to the companies, the spokesperson added.