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Labour has been accused of deploying “bullshit spin” in response to a report criticising the government’s appointment of David Kogan as chair of the Independent Football Regulator. A report by Sir William Shawcross declared that Department of Sport, Media and Culture secretary of state Lisa Nandy had breached the Government Code in appointing the media rights expert Kogan into his role with the new football quango. The report reveals: Nandy failed to declare donations made by Kogan to her Labour leadership campaign; Kogan was not asked about potential conflicts of interest in his interview; and DCMS failed to disclose Kogan’s political activity. In a letter to the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Nandy stated that she “unknowingly breached an aspect of the Government Code on Public Appointments”, something she said she regretted. Starmer said Nandy’s process “was not entirely up to the standard expected”. It is the second time in recent weeks the Prime Minister has been forced to reprimand ministers after Rachel Reeves found herself in hot water over the letting out of one of her properties. But shadow sport minister Louie French called out Labour’s attempts at “bullshit spin” on social media, stating that, “Lisa Nandy and N10 knowingly appointed a Labour crony to chair their so-called “independent” football regulator. “They are bang to rights.” Nandy in trouble? Nandy’s apology will likely spare her a resignation but there had been speculation previously that her job was on the line, and that the entire DCMS department may have been scrapped. Her letter added: “I welcome the clear recognition that I did not know about two donations I received as a leadership candidate in 2020, when I was a backbench opposition MP, and that as soon as I discovered these donations existed, I chose to declare them and recuse myself from the process.” “I know you to be a person of integrity and on the basis of your letter, it is clear you have acted in good faith,” Sir Keir wrote in response. Kogan response “I have cooperated fully throughout the investigation and now draw a line under the process,” Kogan said. “As the commissioner states, my suitability for the role has never been in question, and at no point was I aware of any deviation from best practice. “It is now time to move on and get on with the business of setting up the Independent Football Regulator so we can tackle the critical and urgent issues facing football.”
