Labour Minister Accused of 'Bullshit Spin' Over Regulator Appointment
Labour and Lisa Nandy have been fiercely criticised for what opponents are calling 'bullshit spin' following a damning report into the appointment of David Kogan as chair of the new Independent Football Regulator. The report, authored by Sir William Shawcross, found that Nandy, the Secretary of State for the Department of Sport, Media and Culture (DCMS), breached the Government Code on Public Appointments.
Key Findings of the Shawcross Report
The investigation uncovered several significant failures in the appointment process. It was revealed that Lisa Nandy failed to declare donations made by David Kogan to her Labour leadership campaign back in 2020. Furthermore, during Kogan's interview for the high-profile role, he was not questioned about potential conflicts of interest. The DCMS department itself also came under fire for failing to disclose Kogan's political activity.
In response to the findings, Nandy wrote a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. She stated that she 'unknowingly breached an aspect of the Government Code' and expressed her regret over the oversight. She welcomed the report's recognition that she was unaware of the two donations from her time as a leadership candidate and emphasised that she declared them and recused herself from the process as soon as she discovered them.
Political Fallout and Reactions
Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the breach, stating that Nandy's process 'was not entirely up to the standard expected'. This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that Starmer has had to reprimand a minister, following issues with Rachel Reeves.
The strongest criticism came from shadow sport minister Louie French, who took to social media to condemn what he labelled as Labour's 'bullshit spin'. He accused Nandy and Number 10 of knowingly appointing a 'Labour crony' to chair the supposedly independent regulator, asserting 'they are bang to rights'. Despite the controversy, Nandy's apology is expected to prevent her resignation, though it had sparked speculation about the future of her role and the entire DCMS department.
