Public Appointments Commissioner William Shawcross has recused himself from the investigation into Richard Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman because he has met Sharp in the past.
Shawcross said on Jan. 23 that he would review the competition that led to Sharp’s appointment after allegations emerged that Sharp had helped secure an £800,000 ($987,000) loan guarantee for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who later appointed him to the BBC position.
The commissioner said at the time that he wanted to assure the public that “the process was run in compliance with the government’s governance code for public appointments.”
Undated handout photo issued by DCMS of Richard Sharp. (DCMS/PA Media)
But in a letter to the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee of the House of Commons on Monday, Shawcross wrote: “As I have met Mr. Sharp on previous occasions, I have decided to recuse myself from this particular investigation….