Labor is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into claims the BBC chairman helped Boris Johnson secure a loan – just weeks before the then prime minister recommended him for the role. .
JEE News says Richard Sharpe was involved in arranging for Mr Johnson to guarantee loans of up to £800,000.
Mr Sharp said he was “only connected” and had no conflict of interest.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said he had not received financial advice from Mr Sharp.
He also rejected Labour’s suggestion that Mr Johnson could have breached MPs’ code of conduct by “failing to properly declare arrangements” on his parliamentary register of interests.
Labor chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, calling for an “urgent investigation into the facts of this case”.
Mr Johnson was facing financial difficulties in late 2020.
JEE News says millionaire Canadian businessman Sam Blythe came up with the idea of acting as Mr Johnson’s guarantor for the loan with Mr Sharp.
Mr Sharp – a Conservative Party donor who was applying to become BBC chairman at the time – approached Simon Case, the then cabinet secretary and head of the civil service.
According to JEE News, Mr Sharpe, Mr Blyth and Mr Johnson had dinner together at Checkers before the loan was finalised, although they deny the prime minister’s finances were discussed at the time.
Mr Sharpe, a former Goldman Sachs banker, was announced as the government’s choice for the BBC’s new chairman in January 2021. This role is chosen by the Culture Secretary and the Prime Minister.
The chairman of the BBC is the head of the board which sets the strategic direction of the corporation and maintains its independence.
JEE News says candidates for such publicly appointed roles must declare any conflicts of interest.
In a statement, Mr Sharpe said: “There is no conflict and no further involvement when I linked Mr Blyth to the Cabinet Secretary, at his request only.”
Labor had already written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards calling for an investigation into reports that Mr Blythe – a distant cousin of Mr Johnson – had set up the loan facility.
In her letter to the commissioner, Ms Dodds, citing the Sunday Times story, said she was concerned that Mr Johnson had “breached the rules by asking an individual to provide a loan guarantee facility”. whom he would later appoint to a senior public role”. .
He said the “lack of transparency” could “give the impression that this was a subtle arrangement, which would undermine the integrity of the democratic process, and call into question the process by which the BBC Chairman was appointed”. .
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “Richard Sharpe has never given any financial advice to Boris Johnson, nor has Mr Johnson sought any financial advice from him. Boris Johnson has not advised Mr Sharpe of this or any other work. No compensation or compensation has ever been paid for the Service
“Mr. Johnson actually dined with Mr. Sharp, whom he has known for about 20 years, and his cousin. So what? Big deal.”
“All of Mr. Johnson’s financial arrangements have been properly declared and registered on the advice of officials.”
A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC plays no role in the recruitment of the chair and any questions are a matter for the government.”
The government has not yet responded to the BBC’s request for comment.
