Ealing MP backs culture secretary letter about reversing the sale of Channel 4

By Joe Acklam

4th Jan 2023 | Local News

Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing, Southall, has taken to Twitter to support the reversal of the privatisation of Channel 4. Photo: Oxfordmale.
Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing, Southall, has taken to Twitter to support the reversal of the privatisation of Channel 4. Photo: Oxfordmale.

Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing, Southall, has supported the reversal of the privatisation of Channel 4, backing claims made by the Culture Secretary. 

Sharma took to Twitter to throw his support behind Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan, who has reportedly spoken out against the sale of Channel 4 into private ownership. 

Donelan's predecessor Nadine Dorries had planned to sell off the government-owned broadcaster, but in a letter addressed to the prime minister, Donelan said there were "better ways to ensure Channel 4's sustainability". 

Sharma took to Twitter to back up this letter, writing: "Delighted to see this terrible policy reversed. I asked Michelle Donelan about it a few months ago. 

"12 years of Tory government is now a waste of every moment. We need Labour and Keir Starmer in Downing Street." 

Donelan said back in September that she would re-examine the decision to sell Channel 4 and has reportedly written a letter on Tuesday to Rishi Sunak recommending that the plan is scrapped. 

This letter was obtained by The News Agents' Lewis Goodall, but a spokesperson for the Department for Digital Culture, Media, and Sport refused to confirm the validity of this. 

They said to the BBC: "We do not comment on speculation, the DCMS Secretary of State has been clear that we are looking again at the business case for the sale of Channel 4. We will announce more on our plans in due course." 

Nadie Dorries hit back at the leaked letter on Twitter, believing that it undoes the work of the previous government and reduces trust in the Conservative Party. 

She wrote: "Three years of a progressive Tory government being washed down the drain. Levelling up, dumped. Social care reform, dumped. Keeping young and vulnerable people safe online, watered down. A bonfire of EU leg, not happening. Sale of C4 giving back £2b reversed. Replaced with what? 

"A policy at some time in the future to teach maths for longer with teachers we don't even have yet to do so. 

"Where is the mandate- who voted for this? Will now be almost impossible to face the electorate at a GE and expect voters to believe or trust our manifesto commitments." 

     

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