Keir Starmer has acknowledged making a regrettable mistake to the ethics chief regarding the selection of the chairman for England’s football regulator.
Despite abstaining from the process, the Prime Minister expressed his support for Labour donor David Kogan’s appointment after being informed through a note in April 2025. Starmer had previously avoided involvement in decisions due to receiving hospitality from football clubs on multiple occasions.
During his campaign for the Labour leadership in 2020, Starmer received two donations from Kogan. This blunder occurred shortly after Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy apologized for breaching a code related to the same appointment.
In a letter released by No10, Starmer informed the ethics chief, Sir Laurie Magnus, that he had disclosed receiving hospitality from football clubs and the Football Association on several occasions. He stated that he had agreed to recuse himself from decisions concerning the Football Governance Bill in autumn 2024 and had not participated in any related decisions as per the agreement.
However, Starmer admitted that in April 2025, he was asked if he supported David Kogan’s appointment as the inaugural Chair of the Independent Football Regulator, and he confirmed his support. He acknowledged that it would have been better if he had not received the note or expressed approval for the appointment, calling it an unfortunate error for which he expressed regret.
In response, Sir Laurie described it as regrettable that the PM had been involved in the appointment despite recusing himself. However, he commended Starmer for demonstrating a commitment to transparency by discussing the incident.
Sir Laurie emphasized the importance of robust processes for managing recusals at No 10 and welcomed the internal review initiated by Starmer. He viewed the disclosures in the letter as a significant step towards transparency and improving standards in public life.
