Calls for Starmer to face investigation over appointment of football regulator chair
The Conservatives have called on the government’s independent ethics adviser to investigate whether Sir Keir Starmer’s new head of football watchdog faces the risk of a conflict of interest in the selection process.
In a letter to ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, the Conservative Party is demanding further scrutiny of donations Sir Keir received from David Kogan.
Mr Kogan was named as the government’s preferred candidate to chair the Independent Football Regulatory Authority in April.
The new watchdog is designed to support the financial sustainability of clubs in the football “pyramid” and prevent major teams from joining breakaway leagues.
The call for an investigation follows a previous investigation that found Culture Minister Lisa Nandy had breached rules on public appointments by failing to declare donations she had received from media rights expert Mr Kogan.
An investigation was launched after it was revealed he donated money to both Sir Keir and Miss Nandy, as well as other figures in the Labor Party, in the summer.
Following the commissioner’s investigation into public appointments, Ms Nandy apologized to the Prime Minister for “unknowingly” breaking the rules by not disclosing a £2,900 donation to Mr Kogan’s leadership campaign in the 2020 race to replace Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir said he had “acted in good faith” but rebuked him, saying the “process followed was not entirely up to the standard expected”.
The Conservative Party has since questioned whether the Prime Minister’s donations from Mr Kogan warranted further investigation.
They noted that Mr Kogan also donated to Sir Keir during the 2020 Labor Party leadership race and that the Prime Minister gave £2,500 to Labor in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency ahead of last year’s general election.
Shadow Cabinet Minister Alex Burghart wrote to Sir Laurie questioning whether the Prime Minister had “exactly the same, if not greater, conflict of interest” as Culture Secretary given his 2024 general election donation.
The senior Tory also suggested Sir Keir’s “extensive hospitality from the football industry” meant he should recuse himself from any part of the process to appoint Mr Kogan.
Mr Burghart said: “This week Keir Starmer bailed Lisa Nandy out of the situation by failing to declare a clear conflict of interest when he appointed one of his donors, David Kogan, to head the new football regulator.
“Starmer has the same conflict, he secretly took Kogan’s money. But while Nandy eventually recanted on issues related to the leadership of the regulatory authority, Starmer did not.”
The shadow minister said Mr Kogan’s appointment “must be withdrawn immediately”, adding: “The Independent Counsel must investigate Starmer and take appropriate action if he has breached the Ministerial Code.”
In announcing Mr Kogan’s preferred candidacy, Commissioner Sir William Shawcross said in his report published on Thursday that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport should have publicly disclosed his political activities.
The Commissioner particularly highlighted the £33,410 donated by him and his company to Labor and Labor candidates over the previous five years.
In response to the findings, Mr Kogan said he was “not aware of any departures from best practice” in the appointment process and could “now draw a line under the process”.
Sources within the government were keen to point out that Mr Kogan applied for the position of heading the football regulator under the previous Conservative government after being encouraged to do so.
A government spokesman said: “The head of football regulation is appointed by ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as set out in the legislation.
“This was also the case during the previous government period.
“The independent commissioner responsible for public appointments has thoroughly reviewed the appointment process and found no violations other than those noted in the report.”
