After stepping down as the chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Richard Sharp’s resignation was formally accepted by the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Friday. Richard Sharp was accused of as well as under investigation for facilitating a loan amounting to 800 thousand Pounds or approximately $1 million dollars for the former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
For the longest time, BBC has criticized Indian Press of alleged inclination and biasness for the current Indian Government. However, with the latest resignation by Richard Sharp in the loan case, British broadcasters’ dual standards have been revealed. Previously, Elon Musk owned mirco-blogging platform Twitter had also labelled the corporation as ‘Government funded media’ on its official handle.
Questions are now arising as to how BBC dubs itself a pinnacle of journalism especially when it sources its funds from British taxpayers out of government compulsions and why does it refuse to accept that it is indeed a government funded organization. NewsX explains connections BBCs Richard Sharp had with the British government while serving as the chair of BBC.
Richard Sharp’s conflict of Interest with British Government
Richard Sharp has had longstanding relationship not just with the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson but also with current UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The first Indian Prime Minister of UK Rishi Sunak was formerly an employee at Goldman Sachs where he used to work for Richard Sharp. During the pandemic, Boris Johnson had brought Sharp in the government in the capacity of an advisor and later acted as middlemen for acquisition of the loan.
Richard Sharp is also friends with Sam Blyth, a financer who helped him arrange a meeting for loan discussions in December 2020 with an individual by the name of Simon Case who holds the position of Cabinet Secretary and had advised the UK government during the pandemic ultimately leading up to the connection with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Richard Sharp, as a favor was then appointed as the BBC chairman in February 2021 for the facilitation of loan of 800 thousand pounds.
However, all these tactics by Richard Sharp came into light when William Shawcross, who is a appointments watchdog acted as a whistleblower and revealed the scam and how it was done by providing leeways, hiding from the public view. As a result of this Sharp quit review into BBC appointment in January 2023 over previous meetings.
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