DCMS’ choice of David Kogan (OBE) as the inbound chair of the new independent regulator of English football is to be investigated, on the grounds of political bias and transparency needed for the appointment.
The decision was confirmed by William Shawcross, Commissioner for Public Appointments, who has placed DCMS’ nomination under inquiry. The agency believes that scrutiny is needed on Kogan’s appointment “after an initial assessment of this case, informed by spot checks”.
The Commissioner will review whether Kogan’s selection infringed on the Code of Public Appointment, which governs the nomination of appointments for departments and agencies.
In April, Kogan, a former BBC journalist and veteran sports media executive, was named as the government’s preferred choice to lead the regulator despite not being on the original shortlist.
DCMS Secretary, Lisa Nandy, branded him the “outstanding candidate” for the role to oversee English football’s relationship with fans, media and local communities.
A figurehead in UK media and sports, Kogan was a former BBC and Granada TV executive. His experience in football included negotiating the Premier League broadcast contracts for the period of 1998-2015.
Following DCMS recommendation, it later emerged that Kogan had previously donated to Nandy’s 2020 Labour leadership campaign, as well as that of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Due to mounting criticism, Nandy recused herself from the final decision and handed the process to the Sports Minister. In a letter to Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee, she acknowledged the need to avoid any “perception of bias or lack of independence”.
Kogan, who gave evidence to the CMS Committee in May, insisted his political donations were small and declared transparently. He pledged to operate with “total political impartiality”, stating that he had “total personal independence” from all political figures.
The committee endorsed his appointment but issued a warning: his political history risked undermining public trust in a role that demands complete neutrality. Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said the scrutiny was inevitable considering Kogan’s past support for Labour.
Stuart Andrew, the shadow culture minister, accused Labour of “cronyism”, arguing that the process had been “compromised”. “The public has a right to know whether this was a fair and impartial process, or yet another case of political patronage disguised as due diligence,” he said.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Kogan’s appointment followed a “fair and open competition”. The BBC reported that Kogan’s donations fell below the threshold requiring formal declaration under public appointments rules.
Putting fans at the heart of regulation
The new regulator will be established through the Football Governance Bill, currently progressing through Parliament. Once enacted, it will oversee financial sustainability and club governance across the top five divisions of English men’s football, with a mandate to act independently of both the government and football authorities.
Taking the role, Kogan had pledged to put “fans at the heart of the regulator” and support the long-term future of the football pyramid. However, the row over his appointment could overshadow forthcoming debates on the governance of football and improving impartiality in the nation’s game.
In the backdrop, PM Starmer is reportedly reviewing the structure and remit of the DCMS amid concerns over its capacity to deliver key elements of Labour’s legislative agenda.
The department faces a packed brief, including passing the Football Governance Bill, finalising the Media Act 2024, and drafting a new AI-focused copyright and intellectual property bill aimed at tackling infringement issues—dubbed the “AI Bill”.
