Starmer expresses regret for signing off football watchdog appointment

Sir Keir Starmer has expressed his “sincere regret” to his ethics adviser over signing off the appointment of Labour donor David Kogan as chairman of England’s football regulator.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday said he made an “unfortunate error” in confirming he was content with the appointment despite recusing himself from decisions relating to the Football Governance Bill because of his interest in the sport.

The Tories had also called for a probe into whether Sir Keir risked a conflict of interest, after an independent investigation last week found Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had “unknowingly” breached the public appointments code by failing to declare £2,900 in donations from Mr Kogan in 2020.

The former media executive also donated to Sir Keir’s Labour leadership campaign in 2020 and to his constituency party in the run-up to last year’s general election.

In a letter to his independent standards adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister said he had agreed to “recuse myself from decisions relating to the Football Governance Bill” after speaking to the ethics adviser in autumn 2024 because of his interest in football, and football-related hospitality he had received.

He continued: “In April 2025, a note was submitted to me informing me that, after running the appointment process, the Culture Secretary wanted to appoint David Kogan as the inaugural chair of the Independent Football Regulator, subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Select Committee.

“The note asked me whether I was content. I confirmed that I was supportive.

“I knew that the decision was for the Secretary of State to take and I replied on the basis that the decision had been taken.

“In retrospect, it would have been better if I had not been given the note or confirmed that I was content with the appointment. This was an unfortunate error for which I express my sincere regret.”

Sir Keir added he had asked his officials to carry out an internal review of the processes by which recusals are managed in No 10.

In his reply, Sir Laurie said: “It is regrettable, as you say in your letter, that despite the recusal we agreed in autumn 2024 concerning the Football Governance Bill, you were asked to confirm that you were content with the proposed appointment recommended by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in line with her statutory responsibilities as the appointing authority.

“It is important that robust processes for the management of recusals are in place in No 10 and I welcome the internal review you have commissioned in this connection.

“I consider that the disclosures made in your letter are an important demonstration of your commitment to transparency and to ensuring that mistakes are acknowledged and necessary steps taken to improve processes underpinning standards in public life.”

Downing Street insisted on Tuesday the appointment had been made by the Culture Secretary, not Sir Keir.

A No 10 spokesman told reporters: “As set out in legislation, this was an appointment for DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) ministers. It’s not a PM-made appointment.”

Mr Kogan was confirmed as the new head of the Independent Football Regulator in October, after being named the Government’s preferred candidate in April. He had originally been approached about the job by the previous Conservative government under Rishi Sunak.

An investigation was launched in the summer after the revelation he had donated money to both Sir Keir and Ms Nandy, as well as other Labour figures.

In his report published last Thursday, the commissioner for public appointments, Sir William Shawcross, found the appointment had made three breaches of the governance code on public appointments.

As well as Ms Nandy’s failure to disclose Mr Kogan’s donations, the potential conflict of interest arising from that was not discussed with Mr Kogan at interview, and his links to the Labour Party were not revealed, the commissioner said.

Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said: “Keir Starmer himself has been caught offside signing off on the appointment of a major donor to a powerful new role.

“This isn’t just sloppy; it’s a serious lapse of judgment from a man who promised integrity and transparency – and potentially another serious breach of the rules.

“It’s yet more scandal right at the heart of his Government. Amidst open civil war in the Labour Party, it is clear the Prime Minister doesn’t have the backbone to control his own administration or simply doesn’t care. The British public deserve to know which it is.”

Mr Kogan has advised the Premier League, EFL and other leagues on broadcast rights.

The new watchdog he chairs is aimed at promoting financial sustainability of clubs across the so-called football “pyramid”, and preventing big teams from joining breakaway leagues, among other things.

Mr Kogan did not comment on the latest developments.