Has Richard Sharp resigned?

Richard Sharp, the Chairperson of the British Broadcast Corporation (BBC) has resigned from his honorable position. This comes after he broke transparency rules while he was dealing with former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

A report and investigation done by Barrister Adam Heppinstall KC looked into matters regarding Mr. Sharp’s appointment as Chair in an 800K GBP loan guarantee to the former Prime Minister.

“I would like to thank Adam Heppinstall and his team for the diligence and professionalism they have shown in compiling today’s report. Mr. Heppinstall’s view is that while I did breach the governance code for public appointments, he states very clearly that a breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment.  Indeed, I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The secretary of state has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view,” Sharp said in an official statement.

According to sources, he created “the appearance of a conflict of interest by not fully disclosing his knowledge” of offering monetary help to Mr. Johnson.

Sharp was heavily criticized after it was brought to light that he tried to secure a high-level government meeting for a businessman offering the former PM financial help.

Reports state that in late 2020, he arranged a meeting between Secretary Simon Case and Mr. Johnson’s cousin, Sam Blyth, who had offered financial assistance to Johnson earlier.

“When I sought in December 2020 to introduce the cabinet secretary to Mr. Blyth I did so in good faith. I did so with the best of intentions. And I did so with the sole purpose of ensuring that all relevant rules were being followed,” Sharp shared in a statement.

“There is a risk of the perception that Mr. Sharp was recommended for appointment,” the report stated. It was also mentioned that he influenced Mr. Johnson to recommend him for the position of the Chairperson of BBC.

“Mr. Sharp has previously insisted he believed flagging his BBC application with Mr. Case agreeing to have no further involvement in any loan discussions resolved any conflict of interest issues, and therefore, they did not need to be further disclosed,” the report said.

According to Sharp, it was a huge mistake that he did not disclose his role in setting up a meeting between Mr. Case and Mr. Blyth to the appointments panel during the scrutiny process ahead of taking up the senior role. He also apologized for the mistake and regarded it as an “oversight.”

“This was my error. In my subsequent interview with the appointments panel, I wish, with the benefit of hindsight, this potential perceived conflict of interest was something I had considered mention. I would like to once again apologize for that oversight – inadvertent though it was – and for the distraction these events have caused the BBC,” he wrote in his resignation statement.

He expressed his appreciation to the organization and thanked them for giving him the chance to chair them.

“To chair this incredible organization has been an honor,” he said.