Ofcom deputy chair to halt anti-Labour tweets after being called Tory 'stooge'
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Version 0 of 1. The deputy chair of the media regulator Ofcom, Conservative peer Lady Noakes, has admitted she was wrong to criticise the Labour party on Twitter after Harriet Harman branded her a Tory “stooge”. Noakes has said she will refrain from making “public comments of a political nature” after Harman, Labour’s deputy leader, called on culture secretary Sajid Javid to reconsider her appointment. Harman said Noakes’ Twitter account showed “clear breaches” of the regulator’s need for impartiality. Related: Ofcom's deputy chair is 'stooge' for Tories, says Harriet Harman Ofcom chair Patricia Hodgson, in a letter to Javid, said Noakes “acknowledges that the political nature of some comments on her personal Twitter account were not appropriate from someone who is a member of the Ofcom board”. Hodgson said Noakes would also sell her shares in US telecoms company Verizon, another issue highlighted by Harman, to “ensure absolute transparency” and that there was “no perceived conflict of interest”. Harman, in a letter to Javid published earlier this week, said Noakes’ Twitter account contained a number of tweets criticising the Labour party and Ed Miliband on issues including the economy, the mansion tax and the proposed televised leaders’ debates. The tweets remained undeleted on Friday morning. Harman, who is also shadow culture secretary, asked Javid, who was responsible for last year’s appointment of Noakes, to reconsider her position at Ofcom “as a matter of urgency”. “It is not as though she has just failed to resign the whip,” said Harman. “There are clear breaches to be found on Baroness Noakes’ Twitter account. “She cannot be upholding the impartiality of the broadcasting regulator whilst tweeting pro-Conservative, anti-Labour material about TV debates. “Ofcom is the regulator for our broadcast media. It is important that at all times the regulator maintains the highest level of political impartiality, but this is even more important with the election rapidly approaching.” Hodgson told Javid, in a letter dated 28 January, that she remained “resolutely committed to ensuring [Ofcom’s] independence. “In accordance with Ofcom’s members code of conduct, Baroness Noakes is not a party spokesman in the House of Lords. Sheila may contribute to debates in areas of her expertise. “However, Baroness Noakes acknowledges that the political nature of some comments on her personal Twitter account were not appropriate from someone who is a member of the Ofcom board. “Whilst, as a board member, [Noakes] remains able to express her opinions publicly on a range of matters, she had already agreed with me to refrain from public comments of a political nature while she remains a member of the Ofcom board”. A spokesman for Ofcom said it had nothing further to add. Javid’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. |