to appoint my successor the process to appoint my successor was undertaken and i will do that in the interests of the corporation's stability and continuity. let me turn to the events that are subject to the report today. when i sought in december 2022 introduce the cabinet secretary to mr blyth i did so in good faith. i did so with the best of intentions and i did so with the sole purpose of ensuring that all relevant rules were being followed. i am pleased that mr happen stalled supports the fact that my involvement in these matters, as he states, was accordingly very limited. after extensive work he states his words that he is happy to record that he see news evidence to see that i played any part whatsoever in the facilitation, arrangement or financing of a loan to the former prime minister. during my

conversation with the cabinet secretary on the lith of september 2020, i reminded him of the fact that i was in the bbc appointment process i believe as a result of the conversation that i had been removed from any conflict or perception of conflict. i understood this refusal to be absolute. this was my error. and my subsequent interview with the appointments panel i wish with the benefit of hindsight this potential perceived conflict of interest is something i consider to mention. i would like once again to apologise for that oversight, inadvertent or was and for the destruction of these events have caused the bbc. 50 that is richard sharp _ events have caused the bbc. 50 that is richard sharp speaking _ events have caused the bbc. so that is richard sharp speaking earlier - is richard sharp speaking earlier today. he says he will stay in post until the end ofjune by which time as accessible or been appointed. how did the bbc end up in this

situation? richard sharp was appointed chairman in february 2021. at the start of this year the sunday times reported he was accused by a group of empey of failing to declare his involvement in securing an £800,000 for borisjohnson. that was just weeks before the then prime minister recommended richard sharp for thejob. as a bungle minister recommended richard sharp for the job. as a bungle was investigated over its relationship to the then prime minister. there was added pressure for the bbc chairman to resign and make the gary lineker impartiality roy last month. richard sharp denies any wrongdoing. let speak to the chief leader writer at the observer. she was an adviser to ed miliband when he was leader of the opposition. sonia, thank you for being with us. there has been a lot of reaction to this today. what do you make of that statement from the chairman sang, i did nothing wrong, but the perception is there is a fault therefore i will resign. it is

im ortant fault therefore i will resign. it is important to _ fault therefore i will resign. it is important to say _ fault therefore i will resign. it 3 important to say that the fault therefore i will resign. it 2 important to say that the job of the investigator was not to look into richard sharp's intentions, what he may have done wrong, what is intentions where in mentioning to the prime minister that he was going for thisjob and making the prime minister that he was going for this job and making this connection to somebody who could help the prime minister right financially. that was not the purpose of this investigation. this investigation was solely to look at if there would be a perception of a conflict—of—interest. the report —— the report found that was the case. richard sharp will say i had no intention of committing any wrongdoing here. quite frankly, we don't know because that is not the job of the investigator here. it is right that richard sharpe has resigned because there is that perception of a conflict of

interest, which is incredibly damaging, as we have seen in recent months and weeks since these revelations have come to light about his role in helping to facilitate this loan for borisjohnson. it has big implications for perceptions of the impartiality of the bbc. that word perception _ the impartiality of the bbc. that word perception is _ the impartiality of the bbc. that word perception is something we will hear a lot of today. talk to me about the process itself. many people would be rightly confused that the bbc, which prides itself on its separation from government, it still has its chairman appointed by the government of the day. explain how it works. the government of the day. explain how it works— the government of the day. explain how it works. that's right. when you take a step — how it works. that's right. when you take a step back, _ how it works. that's right. when you take a step back, that _ how it works. that's right. when you take a step back, that is _ how it works. that's right. when you take a step back, that is where - how it works. that's right. when you take a step back, that is where the l take a step back, that is where the really big questions about this process come. the bbc plays a critical role as parts of an independent media in holding the government to account, yes yet, the

chair of the bbc is a position that is decided by ministers. it is a political appointment. that does not sit very well with the bbc�*s impartiality and political neutrality. what this whole episode raises questions about essays that appointments process right or should we instead have a more independent process, either with cross—party input or involving independent appointments commission to such an importantjob, because the important job, because the perceptions importantjob, because the perceptions of the bbc�*s neutrality are absolutely key in maintaining public trust in the bbc as an institution. it does bigger questions. lots of people may not have realised that essentially the prime minister of the day kept to appoint the chair of the bbc. that is quite an uncomfortable arrangement, given the important role that the bbc plays in holding

the government to account. we have heard from the _ the government to account. we have heard from the culture _ the government to account. we have heard from the culture secretary - heard from the culture secretary already today saying the process will now get under way to appoint his replacement. he will stay in post until the end ofjune, by which point they may have a successor announced. there is no suggestion that the way that this rule is appointed will change. ida. that the way that this rule is appointed will change. no, not debts. appointed will change. no, not deth- that — appointed will change. no, not debts. that is _ appointed will change. no, not debts. that is the _ appointed will change. no, not| debts. that is the government's troubleshooting, fire fighting here. it is probably not a government that wants to take a hard look at this bigger question, but i think it is definitely something that we need to think about as a society. it'll be interesting to see what the labour has to say about this. there is every chance, the way the bulls are looking, there is a good chance that labour might be in government in the 18 months, two years, and what would they do about this? would they

reform are given to the temptation of saint this is an important appointment for us and we were quite like the power over it, thank you very much. i think that is a tricky thing when it comes to politicians, sometimes it is hard for them to give up power, but it would be the right thing to do i think in this case. ., , right thing to do i think in this case. . , ., ., right thing to do i think in this case. . , ., ., ~ ., case. really good to talk to you. thank yom _ case. really good to talk to you. thank you. you _ case. really good to talk to you. thank you. you raise _ case. really good to talk to you. thank you. you raise the - case. really good to talk to you. | thank you. you raise the question case. really good to talk to you. - thank you. you raise the question of what labour might say about all of this. we have heard from lucy powell, the shadow culture secretary talking about how this is caused untold damage to the reputation of the bbc, saying the bbc�*s independence has been seriously undermined. let's speak to christine jardine from the liberal democrats, their cultural spokesperson. give us a sense of what you heard this morning from the chairman, what did you make of that announcement. he said i did nothing wrong but there

is a perception i did something wrong, therefore i would leave. i think is right, there a huge perception that it has all been wrong, the bbc has been dragged through the mud by the conservative party after yet another sleaze scandal. i think the british public just won't stand for any more of this. it was right that he went. perhaps he should have considered it sooner because it has been very damaging and the bbc has been dragged through the mud that is unacceptable. i5 dragged through the mud that is unacceptable.— dragged through the mud that is unacce table. , , ., unacceptable. is this the end of the affair? in some _ unacceptable. is this the end of the affair? in some respects _ unacceptable. is this the end of the affair? in some respects it - unacceptable. is this the end of the affair? in some respects it marks . affair? in some respects it marks the end of his role as chairman. there is now what will probably be a protracted process to appoint his successor. there will be a lot of scrutiny on that process and the candidate emerges at the end of it. unless the process changes, to we not end up in a similar position whereby there are a lot of questions and scrutiny over who takes the top

job? and scrutiny over who takes the top “ob? and scrutiny over who takes the top 'ob? , ., , ., and scrutiny over who takes the top “ob? ,.,, ., ., ., .,, job? the position that we had was that boris johnson _ job? the position that we had was that boris johnson should - job? the position that we had was that boris johnson should never . job? the position that we had was i that boris johnson should never have that borisjohnson should never have been allowed to appoint richard sharp in the first place. now what we need is a rigorous, transparent, independent process to appoint an xp procedure. we need as part of that our vote in parliament, cross—party votes to establish that this is an independent appointments, that it has had cross—party approval and it will not be subject to the same sort of uncertainty, sleaze and dragging through the mud that we have seen that this appointment. what through the mud that we have seen that this appointment.— that this appointment. what is interesting _ that this appointment. what is interesting is _ that this appointment. what is interesting is that _ that this appointment. what is interesting is that many - that this appointment. what is interesting is that many a - interesting is that many a politician in westminster have found themselves in a similar position where they say no rules were broken but the perception is this is extremely damaging therefore i will resign. itjust rages —— itjust

raises that perception that things aren't as they should be. what raises that perception that things aren't as they should be. what we have had for _ aren't as they should be. what we have had for the _ aren't as they should be. what we have had for the past _ aren't as they should be. what we have had for the past few - aren't as they should be. what we have had for the past few years i have had for the past few years under borisjohnson is this growing dissatisfaction with the way politics is being conducted by the conservative party and the conservative party and the conservative government. we have had sleaze, scandal, one after the other constantly. we are seeing it in scotland at the moment as well, the drama being played out. from the point of view of the public, every single time this happens it undermines politics more and we really do need to get away from this. that is one of the reasons why it is important that this appointment, and anything else that happens in the future, is clear, transparent and independent. tote happens in the future, is clear, transparent and independent. we will wait and see — transparent and independent. we will wait and see if— transparent and independent. we will wait and see if that _ transparent and independent. we will wait and see if that happens. - transparent and independent. we will wait and see if that happens. it - transparent and independent. we will wait and see if that happens. it is - wait and see if that happens. it is good to have you with us. much more on all of those stories, including that developing story throughout the day on the bbc news website. the

live pages up and running as that news ricochets around westminster this morning. much more on that on the top of the hour. time not for the top of the hour. time not for the weather. hello there. we've got the bank holiday weekend just around the corner. the weather is changing somewhat. it's probably going to be a bit warmerfor many parts of the country over the weekend. whilst there will be some sunshine around, we've got the chance of some heavy showers, as well. it feels a bit warmer today. the clouds slowly breaking up and thinning to allow temperatures in the south—east to reach 18, maybe even 19 degrees. one or two showers around, particularly across northern ireland. those will tend to fade away during this evening. for many parts it's going to be dry overnight. some breaks in the cloud leading to a bit of mist and fog here and there. thickening cloud could bring some wetter weather towards parts of mainland scotland. temperatures similar to last night, actually, so a mild four to seven degrees. heading into tomorrow, for much of scotland it could be quite cloudy. so too the north—east of england. the chance of a bit of rain too. other parts of the uk should see some brighter

weather and some sunshine. that may trigger a few more showers. some of them could be heavy, for example in northern ireland, some parts of england and wales, but through much of the midlands, towards east anglia, the south—east, it may well be dry and this is where we'll see the warmest of the weather. we could reach 20 degrees for the first time in england on saturday. notice it's quite a lot colder underneath the cloud in scotland and the north—east of england. cold air is never too far away from northern parts of scotland. for much of the country, though, we've got milder, warmerair coming in more from the south, but it does bring the chance of some more showers, probably sooner on sunday, and perhaps more widely as well, with the risk of some thunderstorms in there. perhaps once again east anglia in the south—east of england living a charmed life, staying dry with some sunshine. temperatures 18 or 19 degrees here. we still could make 16 with those heavier showers in northern ireland. quite a few more showers, though, around on sunday. they will drift their way eastwards during the evening and overnight. then, on bank holiday monday, this high pressure tries to build in from the west. it's a slow process, mind you, so we've still got some showers and the bulk of those,

the heavier ones, are likely to be across east anglia and the south—east this time, so we're getting the showers here eventually. the odd shower possible elsewhere, but for the most part it will be drier with some sunshine. a northerly breeze in northern scotland, hence the cooler air here. but in the sunshine elsewhere, temperatures typically 16 or 17 degrees. so over the bank holiday weekend we've got some warmer weather. there will be some heavy showers around. it gets a bit drier on monday and then into next week it is drier, but it's also a bit cooler.

live from london. this is bbc news. russia launches a new wave of air strikes against cities across ukraine. at least 19 people have been killed. in sudan, both sides in the conflict agree to extend a ceasefire for another three days despite reports of heavy fighting. pope francis is in hungary for one of the most politically—sensitive trips of his papacy. in the past he has crticised the country for its immigration policies. hello. ukrainian officials now say at least 19 people have been killed by a wave of russian missiles fired at residential areas

in cities across ukraine.