New football regulator boss confirmed in £130,000-a-year role despite Labour ‘cronyism’ row after he donated to Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy’s leadership campaigns

David Kogan – the Labour donor at the centre of an inquiry into potential cronyism – has been confirmed as the chairman of football’s new independent regulator.

The 68-year-old, a former chief media rights adviser to the Premier League, was chosen by the government to take on one of the most powerful roles in the sport having not even applied for the position.

Kogan, who donated to both the leadership campaigns of Sir Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy, has today been rubber-stamped in the post, which pays around £130,000 a year for working three days a week, with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport making an official announcement.

An inquiry, launched in June by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, remains ongoing.

Kogan told MPs he had made ‘very small’ contributions to the now Prime Minister and Secretary of State at a committee hearing in May. Both are thought to be below the £1,500 threshold for deceleration, although he and his company, David Kogan Ltd paid various Labour MPs tens of thousands in donations in the build up to the last General Election.

Kogan’s admissions triggered claims among Conservatives of ‘crony’ appointments by their Labour counterparts.

Kogan revealed he had donated to the Labour leadership campaigns of both Sir Keir and Ms Nandy in 2020, when they both competed to replace Jeremy Corbyn

In June, William Shawcross, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, wrote to the DCMS, calling for a ‘full inquiry’, adding that Kogan and Nandy were likely to be interviewed to ensure the selection ‘was made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments’.

Kogan, appointed for a five-year term, has written two books on the history of the Labour party.

He has insisted he has ‘total personal independence’ and added he had ‘never been particularly close to any of the individuals to whom I have donated money’. He also claimed to have never had a one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister.

‘I have been a donor to the Labour Party, I have been absolutely transparent about it,’ he told the committee. ‘Five years ago I contributed very small sums of money to both the leadership campaigns for Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy, I am happy to declare that now.’

Kogan was nominated by DCMS with Nandy subsequently removing herself from the final decision.

Following today’s confirmation he said: ‘I am pleased to be confirmed as the first Chair of the Independent Football Regulator.

‘There are urgent and critical issues that need addressing in football, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to achieve the right solutions for a more sustainable industry.’