Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy issued an apology for failing to disclose a donation from a candidate who was chosen to chair the football regulator, breaching a code on public appointments. Nandy acknowledged the oversight in not mentioning that David Kogan had contributed £2,900 to her leadership campaign during the 2020 race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that Nandy had acted in good faith but noted that the process did not meet the expected standards.
David Kogan, a media rights expert, was named as the preferred candidate for chairing the Independent Football Regulator by the government in April. An investigation was initiated following revelations that Kogan had donated to both Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy, raising concerns from the Conservative Party. The Commissioner for Public Appointments found three breaches of the Governance Code related to Kogan’s appointment, including Nandy’s failure to disclose his donations and the lack of discussion on potential conflicts of interest.
Nandy expressed regret for the oversight, emphasizing that it was unintentional and promptly disclosed the donations upon discovering them. Johnson acknowledged Nandy’s integrity and stated that steps would be taken to enhance guidance on handling conflicts of interest. The report did not question Kogan’s suitability for the position of chair of the Independent Football Regulator.