Boris Johnson faces major Tory backlash over plans to privatise Channel 4

The decision to sell off the publicly owned broadcaster has sparked fury, with ministers accused of being “un-Conservative” and breaking promises on levelling up

Boris Johnson is facing a major backlash over Tory plans to privatise Channel 4 after 40 years of public ownership.

Several senior Tories have joined the criticism of the decision to sell off the broadcaster, which would mark the biggest sale of a state-owned asset since Royal Mail in 2013.

A Government source said the aim was to “remove its straightjacket” so Channel 4 can hold its own against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.

But the move triggered a Tory backlash, with ministers accused of being “un-Conservative” and breaking promises on levelling up.

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairman Julian Knight questioned whether the move was “revenge for Channel 4’s biased coverage of the likes of Brexit and personal attacks on the PM?”

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries confirmed the plan on Monday night, saying the broadcaster held a “cherished place” in British life but it needed a change of ownership.

She said: “I have come to the conclusion that government ownership is holding Channel 4 back from competing against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.

“A change of ownership will give Channel 4 the tools and freedom to flourish and thrive as a public service broadcaster long into the future.”

Ms Dorries said she would reinvest the proceeds of the sale into “levelling up the creative sector, putting money into independent production and creative skills in priority parts of the country”.

But senior Tory backbencher Jeremy Hunt said he opposed the idea.

The former Culture Secretary told Sky News: “I am not in favour of it because I think as it stands Channel 4 provides competition to the BBC on what’s called public service broadcasting, the kinds of programmes that are not commercially viable, and I think it would be a shame to lose that.”

Tom Tugendhat, Tory chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told Times Radio: “Given the success Channel 4 has been in promoting independent production around the UK, I remain to be convinced this is going to achieve the aim the government has set out.

“I’ll be listening but I’m pretty doubtful.”

Damian Green, Theresa May’s former deputy, tweeted: “The sale of Channel 4 is politicians and civil servants thinking they know more about how to run a business than the people who run it.

“Very un-Conservative. Mrs Thatcher, who created it, never made that mistake.”

Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson branded the idea “the opposite of levelling up”.

She tweeted: “Channel 4 is publicly owned, not publicly funded. It doesn’t cost the tax payer a penny. It also, by charter, commissions content but doesn’t make/own its own.

“It’s one of the reasons we have such a thriving indy sector in places like Glasgow. This is the opposite of levelling up.”

Former Channel 4 head of news and current affairs Dorothy Byrne accused the Government of trying to “throw a bit of red meat to Tory supporters”.

She said the broadcaster was not left-wing, telling TimesRadio: “I think it’s being privatised to throw a bit of red meat to Tory supporters of a very right-wing nature at a time that the Government is in trouble.

“I think the political agenda is to show that the Government is doing something radically right-wing to please people. It’s the same agenda as attacking the licence fee.

“It’s that knee-jerk thing, privatise thing, that’s a good thing to do.”

Labour said the decision “doesn’t make any sense” and will cause a “great deal of damage to jobs and opportunities”.

Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell told Today: “I think it will cause a great deal of damage to jobs and opportunities in the creative industries, especially in Leeds and Bristol, and Manchester, and outside of London.”

In a statement, Channel 4 said: “With over 60,000 submissions to the Government’s public consultation, it is disappointing that today’s announcement has been made without formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised.

“Channel 4 has engaged in good faith with the Government throughout the consultation process, demonstrating how it can continue to commission much-loved programmes from the independent sector across the UK that represent and celebrate every aspect of British life as well as increase its contribution to society, while maintaining ownership by the public.”