David Cameron lectured as a visiting professor at the New York University campus in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Photo: Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images
Nigel Farage has called on Rishi Sunak to ensure David Cameron has no role in the sale of The Telegraph due to his links to Abu Dhabi.
Lord Cameron, recently returned to government as Foreign Secretary, lectured as a visiting professor at the New York University campus in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The Telegraph is the subject of a takeover bid from RedBird IMI, a , financed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice president of the UAE.
However, last month it emerged that the Foreign Ministry had intervened to soften the language in the government's letter about the attempted takeover, and Number 10 did not said whether Lord Cameron would drop the issue.
Mr Farage, the former Brexit Party leader who is now honorary president of Reform UK, said Mr Sunak should keep Lord Cameron out of any discussions about a sale.
In an article for The Telegraph, he said Lord Cameron could do it. does not claim to be “objective,” adding: “Given his ties to the UAE, including his recent role as a politics lecturer in the UAE-funded NYU Abu Dhabi operation, he can hardly claim to be an objective player.” in this matter.
“Equally worrying are reports that Foreign Office officials last month softened the language used in a letter written by Lucy Fraser, the culture secretary who launched the public interest inquiry into the takeover, to bidders. They must have been concerned that the original version might have offended Sheikh [Mansour].
“If Rishi Sunak has any sense he will keep the accident-prone David Cameron away from any further accusations of villainy. ”
Lord Cameron lectured on politics at New York University in Abu for three weeks in January -Dabi. The campus is fully funded by the UAE government.
Details of the position were published on Thursday by Rishi Sunak's ethics adviser in a list of ministerial interests, but the list did not say how much Lord Cameron was paid.
Ms Fraser has initiated a public interest intervention notice in relation to the Telegraph takeover, which requires scrutiny of the proposed sale on freedom of expression grounds.
But it emerged that the letter she sent to RedBird IMI was “watered down” after intervention by the Foreign Office. It is understood officials were concerned the language could offend the UAE ahead of the London Foreign Investor Summit and Mr Sunak's recent trip to the Gulf for the Cop28 climate conference.
In his article, Mr Farage said that he was “deeply concerned” that the United Arab Emirates could “take over” the Telegraph and The Spectator.
“As the UAE is an absolute monarchy with an appalling human rights record, it seems bizarre that they would entertain jokes or questions in the spirit that permeates the British press,” he said.
“Fuck Sheikh Mansour , the UAE vice-president and member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, allowed one of his relatives to be caricatured in a Telegraph cartoon?
“What would he do if The Telegraph were investigating an investigation into a UAE-owned company ? Or if a Spectator columnist criticized the UAE's attitude towards homosexuality? Does anyone really want to know the answers to these questions?
“Telegraph titles, like The Spectator, are a treasured part of the fabric of British public life. Independence is their hallmark. It is inconceivable that a Tory government would even consider allowing these assets to fall into the wrong hands under its control, or that it would encourage the importation of views that are contrary to one of the cornerstones of our democracy.
“Reason must prevail. Otherwise, this country, and not just the media, will be in deep trouble.”
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