After Sharp saga, demands that ‘cronyism and sleaze’ must not taint next BBC chair

Shadow secretary for culture calls for root and branch review of top appointments

Ministers are facing fresh demands to bolster the independence of the process to find the next BBC chair after claims that cronyism and sleaze" have damaged the role and the corporation's reputation.

The government has been pressed to depoliticise the appointment of the job after the resignation of Richard Sharp, a Tory donor. He quit after an independent investigation found he had failed to reveal critical information about his role in facilitating a loan for then prime minister Boris Johnson when applying for the job.