What every MP said about the UAE Telegraph takeover bid
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MPs from across the political spectrum have raised concerns about the UAE’s attempted takeover of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator magazine.
A debate in the House of Commons on the deal was triggered on Tuesday via an urgent question, with Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, DUP and SNP MPs all speaking out.
The attempted takeover comes from RedBird IMI, a fund that is 75 per cent financed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the vice president of the UAE.
Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary, has ordered investigations by the media regulator Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), with March 11 set as the deadline.
Below is what MPs had to say during the debate and how Julia Lopez, the media minister who led the debate for Government, responded.
CONSERVATIVES
Alicia Kearns
Ms Kearns, the MP for Rutland and Melton, who heads up the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, triggered the debate with an urgent question.
She said: “We have a proud tradition of a fiercely independent press in our country - a press who hold us to account in this place, and shine a light on misbehaviour and misdoings here and abroad.
“Yet a paper of record, The Daily Telegraph, and The Spectator, the longest-running magazine in the world and my personal podcast of choice, will be purchased by a foreign state.
“The concern here is about not foreign ownership, but foreign state ownership; in this situation, we cannot separate sheikh and state. Those are our concerns.”
Ms Kearns raised four questions. One was whether there is any other example worldwide of a nation with “differing media values” buying a newspaper in another country. A second was whether the government would commit to a national security investigation.
Her third question asked whether ministers intervening last week over a UAE deal with Vodafone set a precedent. Her fourth was whether the remit of the Government’s Defending Democracy Taskforce should be expanded to protect the media.
Ms Kearns said: “We are dealing with something that will make us vulnerable not for five or 10 years, but for the rest of our lives, and we cannot afford for our media to be undermined.”
The media minister said in her opening remarks she could not go beyond what was in the public domain on the case.
Ms Lopez instead simply referenced how the Culture Department was already scrutinising the takeover, adding: “I am not able to speak to a number of the points that will likely be raised.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith
The former party leader referenced a letter he and 28 other politicians from various parties had recently signed opposing the deal.
Sir Iain said: “We made it clear that we are not opposed to it because we dislike that particular government - although I have to say that that may well be a feature.
“Rather, we would oppose it if the French government wished to buy the newspapers, or even if this Government decided they would control them. We would oppose that on the basis that it would trample right across the idea of freedom of the press.”
He also asked whether “debt being loaded into the purchase” should “need a further detailed investigation”. Sir Iain added: “This could easily turn into a disaster for this Government.”
Ms Lopez in response said Sir Ian: “makes the important point that his concern is not about the government in this particular case, but about government ownership in principle. It is something I appreciate and understand”.
Sir John Redwood
The MP for Wokingham who once served in Sir John Major’s cabinet asked: “As owners expect to have influence over editors and the editorial line, why do we not have a policy of ruling out all government ownership of such organisations, which would make it much simpler?”
Ms Lopez indicated the proposal would be looked at in the future, saying: “I thank my right honourable friend for making that simple point. It is one that I am sure will be considered once this case has passed.”
James Sunderland
The MP for Bracknell said: “Our national resilience, strategic independence and critical infrastructure, as well as our media, are vital. To quote the well-known album, how do we ensure that we do not end up selling England by the pound?”
Ms Lopez said “it would be wrong” for MPs to leave the debate assuming ministers did not have powers to act and that “all these acquisitions can go ahead regardless of security and other implications”.
Damian Collins
Mr Collins, an MP who was once a tech minister and chairman of the Commons Culture Committee, called for tougher rules over foreign states buying newspapers.
He argued: “We need a presumption against sovereign foreign states acquiring strategic UK media assets to further their influence, just as there should be one against acquisition by a foreign oligarch who might not have a commitment to the media.”
Ms Lopez said the Government was not “totally naked on this question”, pointing to existing powers, but said once The Telegraph takeover issue is resolved “I am sure” ministers can look at whether tougher rules are needed.
Sir Julian Lewis
The MP for New Forest East triggered laughter in the Commons when asking: “When the wonderful Taylor Swift discovered that her back catalogue had been bought by a purchaser of whom she disapproved, she began to render it worthless by re-recording all her previous hits. Is that an example that journalists at The Spectator and The Telegraph might do well to follow?”
Ms Lopez said of the “mischievous suggestion” that she “could not possibly comment”.
Sir David Davis
The MP and former Brexit secretary pointed to the ownership of The Times by Rupert Murdoch, an Australian, and noted how an editor of that paper was once sacked, arguing the case had relevance to the UAE’s Telegraph takeover.
Ms Lopez referenced Ms Frazer, saying: “I am sure that all these questions will be in the Secretary of State’s mind as she makes that judgment.”
Sir John Whittingdale
The MP who was until last month a minister in the Culture Department argued that with the internet changing how people get information a “fundamental review of the media ownership regime” was needed.
Ms Lopez suggested nothing was imminent, saying once the new media law being proposed is passed “we will be able to look afresh at the other holes in the landscape”.
Sir Michael Ellis
The MP for Northampton North and former attorney general noted the takeover is said to “enhance the competitive landscape” but suggested “legal principles, not politics” should determine if the bid goes ahead.
The comment appeared to refer to the investigation by the CMA, which along with Ofcom has been ordered to look at the takeover.
Ms Lopez said Ms Frazer, who asked for the investigations, “will have some considerations about how to ensure a dynamic media landscape” but “will carefully apply her legal brain to the application of those principles”.
Sir Desmond Swayne
The MP for New Forest West asked if “a media outlet in an authoritarian state, or indeed any other state, to be threatened with foreign ownership” whether Ms Lopez would be giving such “scrupulous” answers.
Ms Lopez replied: “Perhaps not.”
Andy Carter
Mr Carter, elected MP for Warrington South at the last election, asked whether Ofcom rules dictating how broadcast licences are approved should be expanded to cover newspapers and news websites.
Ms Lopez said the Culture Department is looking broadly at the “rapidly changing media landscape”.
Neil O’Brien
The former health minister said it was “paying off debt” that allowed RedBird IMI, the fund backed with substantial UAE financing, to take control of Telegraph titles and asked whether an investigation into the debt situation was needed.
Ms Lopez said: “I am not able to speculate on or speak about any other action that the Secretary of State might be minded to take.”
LABOUR
Thangam Debbonaire
Ms Debbonaire, who as the shadow culture secretary was leading the debate for Sir Keir Starmer’s party, made clear that the Opposition had concerns about the takeover.
She said: “We on these benches recognise the legitimate public interest concerns raised over the proposed acquisition of the Telegraph Media Group, including about the accurate presentation of news, free expression of opinion in newspapers and the competition issues.”
Ms Debbonaire attempted to drill down into the specifics of the investigations which the media regulator Ofcom and the CMA have been asked by the Government to conduct.
She said: “With a general election approaching, in a significant year for democracy across the world and with record numbers of people going to the polls, the freedom of the press has never been more important. Now is not the time for the Government to have no answers or to be asleep at the wheel.”
In response, Ms Lopez stated the facts of the investigations, adding: “Action has been taken, it is something the Government takes seriously, and I ask her to let the process take its course.”
John McDonnell
Mr McDonnell, the socialist former shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership, referenced trade union worries.
He said: “The National Union of Journalists’ concerns are obviously about jobs, but they are also about future editorial independence.” He also called more widely for a review of media ownership.
Ms Lopez said: “I agree on those generalities, but I am afraid I cannot say anything more about the specifics of this case.”
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Jamie Stone
The MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross referenced the Telegraph columnist Alan Cochrane when raising concerns about the deal.
Mr Stone said: “For years I have been teased in The Telegraph at the hands of Mr Alan Cochrane, and more recently in The Spectator.
“But that is democracy; it is the nature of the beast, and it is free speech.
He said the UAE takeover had a “national security implication”, adding: “I think that the mood of the House is that this is simply not on - we all agree on that. The message should be passed back to the Secretary of State and to the Government that we will not wear this.”
Ms Lopez said in response: “It is an important opportunity for members to have their say, and I hope that they will be heard.”
Richard Foord
The recently elected MP for Tiverton and Honiton asked: “Are there any lessons for media freedom that the Government might learn from the creation of university branch campuses in the UAE, and what that has meant for freedom of speech?”
Ms Lopez said it was not a subject about which she knew a “great deal”.
SNP
John Nicolson
The MP and former journalist said: “I am in favour of a free, diverse and vibrant press ecosystem, and not in favour of a newspaper being owned as a loss-making public relations arm of a foreign state through access to our daily news cycle. Does the minister agree that allowing the UAE to take over The Telegraph would be unhealthy in principle for our democracy?”
In response, Ms Lopez made clear her concerns in principle. She thanked Mr Nicolson “for raising an issue of principle, which I perfectly understand, as something that I speak about in relation to the BBC, and how it must have editorial independence from the Government”.
“As a principle, I would be concerned about Government ownership of any media institution, but as he will be aware, I can speak only of principles.”
DUP
Jim Shannon
The MP, who represents Strangford, asked: “Can she outline if measures can and will be put in place to secure editorial freedom in the long term? We look to a nation with completely different ideals, but which has capacity to shape the media narrative and public information. How can we make sure that we retain trust?”
Ms Lopez said: “Ofcom will look expressly at accurate presentation of the news and free expression of opinion when it makes its reports and judgments known.”
