Richard Sharpe (right) with The Telegraph's Christopher Hope at the Red Lion Pub in Westminster as the last guest of Chopper's Politics Podcast by: Jeff Pugh for The Telegraph.
Richard Sharp wants a drink. Days after stepping down as chairman of the BBC, the former Goldman Sachs banker is in the Red Lion pub as the final guest on the Chopper's Politics podcast.
He wants to order Black Velvet, a pint of Guinness and champagne. All in good time, I must tell him. First, we should discuss the BBC, its future and why he had to step down as chairman due to his involvement in facilitating an £800,000 loan to Boris Johnson when he was prime minister.
< p>It is clear. that Mr Sharp loves the BBC. But he admits that being government-appointed chairman of a major cultural institution like the BBC meant he always had a goal on his back.
“When there is a Labor support chair, there is a goal. So the short answer is yes. It's a pretty important institution, and whoever is the chairman is vulnerable.»
He would advise anyone trying to replace him to «make sure you and your family know what you're getting into» because for increasing what he called «anger-inducing» news coverage that led to «personal attacks» to get «clicks and links».
Bonus Episode of Chopper Politics with Richard Sharpe
Part of the problem is that the chairman of the BBC is politically appointed. But Mr Sharp, who has donated to the Conservatives in the past, says a party donor could become his permanent successor.
«I don't think getting involved or caring about politics in this country should disqualify people,» he says, pointing to his experience with media companies and creating a YouTube channel.
< p>«And I don't think the fact that I donated to the party and the last donation was in 2010 should have disqualified me.
«But it does mean that in the hiring process they have to make sure that the chair will have as its primary goal the strength of the BBC as an independent organization and must conduct itself impartially.»
Richard Sharpe says whoever replaces him will have a difficult task in an age of 'controlling anger' Image Credit & Copyright: Jeff Pugh for The Telegraph
Sharp, 67, resigned late last month after an investigation revealed that while he was not involved in facilitating an £800,000 loan from a friend to Boris Johnson when he was at Downing Street, Mr Sharp «failed to reveal the information». potential perceived conflict of interest» to the committee that appointed him to the BBC.
An investigation by Adam Heppuston KC found that Mr Sharp «failed to report a potential alleged conflict of interest» to a cross-party commission of MPs that scrutinized his appointment.
He is surprisingly optimistic about how he was treated and does not blame the BBC for how it reported the scandal: “The BBC does have a reputation for 360-degree firing squads. There was a significant problem that needed to be reported. The way the story unfolded had consequences.”
But when I asked if the accountability was proportionate, Mr. Sharp replied, “I'm biased. There are other things going on, like a war in Europe, a massive potential conflict between China and the US, a cost-of-living crisis, so I was surprised to find myself leading the charge in this matter.”
'I'm watching. come back and think, «What an idiot!»
He now regrets not trying to help Sam Blyth, a businessman who contacted him to ask how he could support Mr. Johnson. “I look back and think, God, what a fucking idiot,” he says. His big mistake was not «letting it out too much» about his connection to Blyth when he alerted Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, to the contact, he says.
«It was a short conversation, and he [Mr Case] was in the middle of a pandemic. But I had a conversation with the head of the civil service, and I was comforted that he said that I would not interfere … I needed to communicate too much, ”says Mr. Sharp.< /p>
“After the story got out, I had a short conversation with him [Mr Case]. I realized that after this conversation he looked through his notes and wasn't sure what he could remember.»
When asked if he felt disappointed with Case, Mr. Sharpe is diplomatic. “It would be helpful if he had a better memory. But you know, that's what it is, right?
“I have known Sam for a long time. He is a friend. I would like to have a better feeling. I should have said, «I'm sorry buddy, I can't help you. I know it's a pandemic, but you'll have to find your way to Case on your own. And I can't do it.» And that was my mistake.»
He says he has no regrets about spending two and a half years as chairman, adding that he learned a lot and became «a little older and wiser than me» after what he called «a painful period for me.»
He adds: «I think I left her [BBC] in better condition than she was before I arrived. It's just that the work isn't done yet.»
Change in license fees
Mr. Sharp is looking forward to the future. A big concern for the BBC are plans to replace the £159 a year license fee that funds the BBC's work with another funding model after 2027.
The fact that the license fee is mandatory is «why the government appoints meeting. But once appointed, they must act in the interests of the BBC,” he says. “Therefore, there is logic in that this is not self-appointment, but representatives of the people can choose.”
However, he is concerned that the license fee is regressive because people with lower incomes pay the same as more affluent households.
“I would be in favor of a form of mandatory payment – currently the license fee. There is one problem, which is that this is a regressive phenomenon that may need to be addressed,” says Mr. Sharp.
This means that lower income households are «paying the same price» for their public broadcasting.< /p>
He adds: «You can look at models around the world — there's a broadband tax, a household tax and license fee. The transition from one working mechanism to another is destructive.”
Evasion of payment of the license fee is a crime. Nearly 1,000 people a week, seven out of ten women, are prosecuted for non-payment of licenses. Mr Sharp is concerned that the way it is applied means that women are disproportionately more likely to be sued for non-payment when inspectors call.
He says: «Two problems are that it's obviously regressive, and that the collection process can be harder on women because women often open the door [when TV license inspectors call]. It's imperfect. The question is: «Is there a better system, and what kind of disruption would be caused by changing it?» And this is for debates in Parliament. Both sides have broad support for the BBC. So I think there are ideologues who have a different point of view, but I think they are in the minority. And then the BBC should provide the content.»
«The sanction itself determines the behavior»
Decriminalizing license fee evasion could lead to more people being taken to civil courts for non-payment. “The sanction itself determines behavior. If you go to civil court, you can actually increase the number of lawsuits that are taking place. So it's not as obvious as you might think,» he says.
«As a result of people paying license fees, you get the common good, which means you get incredible value for what people on actually pay. on a household basis.
Mr Sharp is urging ministers to fund the BBC World Service directly and move away from licensing fees. He says: “The BBC can play an exceptional role in how the UK is perceived [in the world]. It's one of our strongest global brands.
“Fund it right. We start before the game. We have the best brand in the world. So to deprive him of funding is an act of global harm. The success of the BBC is good for the UK.”
Mr Sharp dismisses claims by some Tories that the BBC is biased against the left. «No, I do not think so. Of course, I am a centrist. And I think that's where the BBC sits. This ensures due impartiality.”
Rather, it is the BBC's audience that is biased, he says: “When people process information, when they consume it from the media, they act with their existing opinions. And if it disagrees with their point of view. Then they can see it with their own bias. As such, the BBC will continue to be criticized.»
Mr Sharp dismisses the issue of government criticism by host Gary Lineker, citing ongoing scrutiny, although he says the issue of Bee's involvement -bc on social media freelancers and employees «needed to be resolved».
Perhaps surprisingly, he is now keen to look ahead and wants to find a way to return to public service for either Rishi Sunak, who was his employee at Goldman Sachs – or Sir Keir Starmer.
“I still believe in the public service, and if I can help … I have great respect for him [Mr. Sunak], as well as the leader of the opposition.
«But I'd rather stay away from anything that has political overtones… the political arena.»
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