Boris Johnson ‘has been told to stop seeking financial advice from the BBC chief’

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Boris Johnson has been told to stop asking Richard Sharpe for “advice” on his “personal finances”, just days before Mr Sharpe is reportedly announced as the new BBC boss.

The then prime minister, Mr Johnson, was allegedly warned by officials on 22 December 2020 to stop discussing his financial arrangements with Mr Sharp, who was due to be announced as BBC chairman on 6 January 2021.

The former banker was facing calls to step down after it emerged that in late 2020 Sam Blyth had presented himself to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to discuss whether Mr Blythe, a distant cousin of Johnson whom Sharpe had known for more than 40 years, could act as a guarantor for a loan facility. to the prime minister.

Sharp said earlier that he would remain in his post, and MPs are due to question the BBC chief next month over the controversy.

A spokesperson for the former prime minister said Mr Sharp “never gave Boris Johnson any financial advice, nor did Johnson seek any financial advice from him”.

They added: “Neither Mr Johnson nor anyone acting on his behalf was aware that Sam Blythe was being considered for any role on the British Council, nor did Mr Johnson have any discussions with Sam Blythe or anyone else about any such role.”

“Neither Mr. Johnson nor anyone acting on his behalf has spoken to anyone at FCDO in connection with Mr. Blyth of any public appointment.”

The Sunday Times, citing a leaked Cabinet Office memo, said the advice was given by senior civil servant Mr Case after Johnson and Sharpe sought advice on accepting the £800,000 loan from Blyth.

Johnson reportedly took out the loan in February 2021.

The paper quotes advice issued by Mr Case, which reads: “In view of the imminent announcement of Richard Sharpe as the new head of the BBC, it is important that you no longer seek his advice on your personal financial matters.”

BBC Chairman Richard Sharpe

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Mr Johnson’s spokesman said that “Throughout this process, as material obtained by The Sunday Times demonstrates, Johnson has followed advice and taken the necessary steps to ensure integrity. All statements have been properly made.”

Public Appointments Commissioner William Shawcross has already said he plans to investigate Sharpe’s appointment as head of the BBC, following the first set of reports last week.

Sharpe told BBC News last week he was “satisfied” with the way the operation was carried out.

The paper also notes that Mr Blyth appeared on the Foreign Office’s list of four recommended candidates during the search for the British Council’s chief executive, with his family connections to Johnson not being disclosed to senior figures in the council.

Mr Blyth told the newspaper he had disqualified himself on December 7, 2020 and had not made a formal application.

“I think my name may have been suggested by civil servants who were trying to identify potential candidates at the research stage of the appointment process,” he said.

Liberal Democrat leader Wendy Chamberlain called on the government to release Johnson’s internal record of interests.

She said: “How could Johnson claim that Richard Sharp knew nothing about his personal finances when officials had expressly told him to stop asking his financial advice?

The public is tired of these endless lies and conservative cover-ups. This government must clean up and release all relevant documents, including Boris Johnson’s internal record of interests, so we can get to the bottom of this.”

Mr Sharpe said last week: “After having a discussion with the Cabinet Secretary about conflict avoidance and conflict perception, I was comfortable and still felt there was no conflict because at that point what I was seeking to do was make sure that the process followed exactly by the book, and that the process did not It begins, of any kind, in terms of whatever support Sam (Blythe) would have given the Prime Minister.”

“I made it clear and agreed with the Cabinet Secretary, we both had the judgment that I had avoided conflict or conceived conflict.”

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