Former Daily Mail editor tipped to become Ofcom chair

Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre did not receive a gong in the New Year's Honours list. Photo: Getty - Credit: Getty Images

Boris Johnson is lining up former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre to become the new chair of broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

The Brexiteer critic of the BBC is said to be lined up to replace Lord Burns, who is expected to leave before the end of the year, the Times reports.

The news comes as fellow Brexiteer and Beeb critic Charles Moore is being lined up to become the chairman of the corporation.

Dacre is favoured for the job by Number 10 for his opposition to alleged “left-wing bias” at the BBC and his desire to downsize the corporation. But the newspaper reports he also wanted to preserve the corporation.

The handpicked appointments are likely to cause controversy, especially as the BBC role is designed to be an open process, free from political interference.

MORE: A better place to live? The issues Paul Dacre tackled at the Daily Mail

“This is part of a process of the prime minister putting allies in key positions,” one source close to Johnson told the newspaper.

As reported by The New European‘s Mandrake column earlier this week, Johnson wants to see new news channel GB news and Murdoch’s Times Radio flourish.

The Tories were also left unhappy with some of Ofcom’s handling of complaints during the general election when Johnson failed to turn up for debates.