Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed 'sincere regret' after it emerged he approved the appointment of Labour donor David Kogan as the first chair of the Independent Football Regulator. In a letter to his independent adviser on ministerial standards, Laurie Magnus, Starmer admitted it was an 'unfortunate error' to have endorsed the decision, given his own connections to football and Kogan's past donations.
Starmer had recused himself from decisions relating to the new regulator in autumn last year, after agreeing with Magnus that his interest in football and hospitality received from clubs and the Football Association could pose a conflict. However, in April 2025, a note was submitted to him informing him that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy wished to appoint Kogan, and asking if he was content. Starmer confirmed he was supportive, but later acknowledged it would have been better if he had not been asked.
Kogan, a media executive who has negotiated TV rights deals for the Premier League and English Football League, donated to Starmer's successful Labour leadership campaign in 2020 and to his constituency party. Nandy also received donations from Kogan and apologised to Starmer after a report by the Commissioner for Public Appointments found she failed to disclose the donations before nominating him.
Magnus said it was 'regrettable' that Starmer had been asked to rubber-stamp the appointment, but welcomed a review into why this happened. He added that Starmer's disclosures demonstrated a commitment to transparency and acknowledging mistakes. Kogan was confirmed as chair of the regulator last month, a role created by the previous Conservative government following the collapse of the European Super League plans.
