Oliver Dowden denies falsifying the application process for President Ofcom in favor of Paul Ducker – British politics live | Policy

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good morning. Oliver Dowden, co-chair of the Conservative Party, toured the studios for the government today. He had several exchanges on corruption/corruption issues, but perhaps the most interesting came on the Today show, where Nick Robinson asked Dowden about the process Dowden had started in his previous job, as Secretary of Culture.

Boris Johnson wants Paul Ducker, former Daily Mail editor, to be Ofcom’s next president. This was widely reported (and not denied), but Dacre was dismissed by the interview panel. At that point Dowden, rather than hiring someone else, took the very unusual step of reopening the process and rewriting the job requirements to allow Dacre to apply again. Robinson cited this as one of several examples of how government appears not to take standards seriously, and wondered how this could be true.

In his response, Dowden argued that this was in fact evidence of the appropriateness of the process. He said:

Well… you actually make the point that it’s an independent and proper process. Because if it wasn’t a proper independent process, if Paul Ducker was our favorite, he would currently be the president of Ofcom.

From his tone of voice, Dowden seemed to be saying this with what you might call a wry smile – although without being able to see his face it was difficult, sure.

Robinson said the government was changing the rules just to fit them. Dowden replied:

There were several issues with this process that prompted me to reboot, not the least of which was that we had a very, very small field of people who were found eligible, and very few people who applied for it. So I thought it was appropriate to run the process again.

But if this is such a corrupt process, you will look at this person, who you claim is currently favored by the government in this role.

The fact that we have an independent process, and the fact that ministers – in this case and in all public appointments – appoint persons independently to assess the health of applicants, and then those to be appointed may be chosen from among those deemed to be appointable, is an open practice.

In fact, one of the reasons so few people submitted was that government briefings saying Daker would get the job made people feel like it was pointless. (Peter Riedel, a former commissioner of public appointments, has been critical of the government over this.) Dowden also omitted to say that the Nominations Committee may not be quite as independent as he suggested.

I will be posting more of his interviews soon.

Here is today’s agenda.

9 a.m.: Keir Starmer picks up his regular phone on LBC.

11:30 a.m.: Downing Street holds a briefing in the lobby.

2.30 pm: Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, gives evidence before the House of Commons Treasury Committee.

After 3.30pm: Boris Johnson makes a statement to MPs about Cop26.

MPs will later have a chance to agree to a motion to approve a Standards Committee report that says Owen Patterson violated the rules on lobbying. But it is due to take place after 10pm and there will be no discussion.

And according to The Times Stephen Swinford, the government is set to announce today that the vaccine booster program will be extended to people under 50.

Stephen Swinford (@Steven_Swinford)

Exclusive:

The coronavirus booster program is expected to be extended to under 50s in an effort to boost immunity this winter, and the government is expected to announce tomorrow.

Scientists believe the move could help reduce transmission and keep middle-aged people out of the hospital https://t.co/ChVKMtBOFO

November 14, 2021

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