MP have raised concerns about Samir Shah as the government’s choice to be the next BBC chair, questioning his ability to “provide robust challenge to its leadership”.
After Shah gave evidence this week to the culture, media and sport committee, the cross-party group of MPs said he did “not sufficiently demonstrate the strength and character that is needed to challenge the executive leadership of the BBC”.
The MPs also said they were “disappointed that Dr Shah was not willing to express a view on fundamental principles, such as board-level interference in the BBC and other bodies and on political impartiality”. In their report, they said he had not provided an opinion to them on the issue of changes to local radio and cuts to BBC Newsnight.
At the hearing, Shah did, however, comment on Gary Lineker’s criticism of Conservative politicians, saying the BBC was likely to be looking into it.
In conclusion, the MPs said Shah was “appointable” but that they wanted to hear from him again in January with fuller answers about how he would deal with pressing issues facing the BBC.
Caroline Dinenage, the chair of the committee and a Conservative MP, said “We were disappointed that Dr Shah was unwilling to express a view on such fundamental principles as board-level interference and political impartiality, nor demonstrate an appetite for the robust challenge that is needed at the top of the BBC.
“It is now for the government to consider whether to go ahead with the appointment. If they decide to proceed, we expect Dr Shah to appear before us in the new year to demonstrate he has addressed our concerns.”
Shah, 71, has previously served as a non-executive director at the broadcaster and before that held several senior news roles until he left in 1998. More recently, he was chief executive of the television production company Juniper. He was also the co-author of the government commission’s controversial racial disparities report in 2021.
Shah was announced last week as the culture secretary’s “preferred candidate” for the three-days-a-week position, which pays a salary of £160,000.
MPs were expected to rubber-stamp his appointment, until they released their surprise critical verdict.
If the government proceeds with the appointment, Shah will succeed Richard Sharp, who resigned as BBC chair in April after he breached rules on public appointments in connection with a secret £800,000 loan made to Boris Johnson.
He would take up the post at a challenging time for the BBC. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has said BBC cuts, in which the duration of its flagship news programme Newsnight was cut to 30 minutes and transformed into a debate show, were “welcome”. The BBC’s licence fee is scheduled to rise by a below-inflation sum of £10.50 to £169.50 a year, leaving the broadcaster with an approximate £90m funding gap.
“It is now for the government to consider whether to go ahead with the appointment. If they decide to proceed, we expect Dr Shah to appear before us in the new year to demonstrate he has addressed our concerns.”
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: “We thank the committee for their report, which confirms the committee’s view that Dr Shah is appointable for the role of BBC chair. Dr Shah’s over 40-year career in TV production and journalism coupled with his ambition to see the BBC succeed make him well-equipped to take on the job. We will review the committee’s recommendations in greater detail and respond in due course.”
