James O’Brien brands Richard Sharp: ’The latest man whose entire life has been polluted by Boris Johnson.’

28 April 2023, 12:33

By Alice Bourne

Criticising the corruption of the last Tory administration, James has described the appointment of Richard Sharp to Chairman of the BBC as a “blatant and transparent power grab."

Following the resignation of Richard Sharp as chairman of the BBC, James O’Brien told LBC listeners: “Richard Sharp becoming the latest man whose entire life has been polluted by his proximity to Boris Johnson.”

Richard Sharp has resigned after he was found to have breached the code for public appointments.

Mr. Sharp said the report into his appointment found that he did not disclose his involvement in facilitating an £800,000 loan guarantee to the then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

During his departing speech, Mr. Sharp said that he was resigning to stop “this matter” from becoming “a distraction from the corporation's good work.”

During his instant reaction, James said: “My goodness, today’s conversation could be about so many different things… are you bored of Boris Johnson? This is still his legacy everything he touched turned to… I can’t say that word on the radio.

“Many people are still not ready to recognize this attempt, this power grab, this absolutely blatant and transparent attempt to sell Channel Four, to populate the BBC with their own people, to put their own people in charge of commercial broadcasting organizations."

Describing the absurdity of his appointment James said: "Up popped this fella who had already seen his attempts to get onto the board come to absolutely nothing, during what you have to presume was a more independent appointment process.”

The report found that Sharp’s appointment would create the "risk of a perception that Sharp would not be independent of the former Prime Minister if appointed". Mr. Sharp, a Conservative donor, apologised for not mentioning the "potential perceived conflict of interest."