Mansions, university facilities, think tanks, sports teams — the U.K. is no stranger to Gulf money and multibillion-dollar investments streaming from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia into British institutions. But newspapers? That’s a hard stop, apparently. The latest investment pursuit flowing westward from one of the U.K.’s close Gulf allies, the UAE,...
Foreign state control of British newspapers is to be outlawed, effectively blocking the UAE’s attempted takeover of The Telegraph. Ministers revealed plans on Wednesday “explicitly to rule out newspaper and periodical news magazine mergers involving ownership, influence or control by foreign states”. The move, announced by Lord Parkinson, the culture minister, was made to see off a...
Former prime minister is latest senior politician to speak out against deal as Ofcom inquirycontinues. Sir John Major has said it is not a “good idea” for the United Arab Emirates-backed takeover of The Telegraph to go ahead. The former prime minister said he did not want newspapers to fall into “autocratic or semi-autocratic hands”....
Lord Forsyth of Drumlean’s bold stance against foreign influence in British media has ignited a debate on press freedom and ownership, raising concerns over censorship and editorial independence. Explore the implications of the proposed UAE-backed acquisition of the Telegraph newspapers and The Spectator, and the legislative responses advocating for safeguards to protect editorial independence and...
Sheikh Mohamed phones ‘dear friend’ Russian president to discuss war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. Vladimir Putin and the president of the United Arab Emirates vowed to further develop their“friendly relations” after discussing the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in a phone call. Putin, who is subject to an international...
UAE-backed deal could be disastrous for UK government and freedom of press, opponents say. MPs have attacked the proposed UAE-backed takeover of the Telegraph newspapers, warning that it is impossible to “separate sheikh and state” and calling for further investigations to be launched before the deal “turns into a disaster for the government”. Julia Lopez,...
Abu Dhabi-backed Redbird IMI has submitted a new proposal relating to its planned takeover of the Telegraph newspaper, likely prompting a fresh government probe on public interest grounds, British media minister Lucy Frazer said on Wednesday. The regulators had been due to report back to Frazer by the end of Friday on the first probe....
The UAE will have its moment of glory while the UK press worries more about petrostate money buying the Telegraph. petrostate hosting a climate conference” sounds like a situation shouted out at an improv night, after they’ve done the ones about a fox hosting a henhouse and Jimmy Savile hosting Jim’ll Fix It. Arguably, though,...
Rishi Sunak might fear upsetting Arab friends, but these are great British institutions whose future is now in doubt. I joined this newspaper in 1979 and have subsequently edited all the three titles in its stable – The Spectator, The Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Telegraph. I remain on the staD. I have therefore reached...
Deal could be referred to Ofcom but some analysts say concerns about foreign influence may be overstated. Shortly after midday on Monday, an email arrived in the inbox of staff at the Daily Telegraph from their editor. “Over the weekend a number of you have asked me questions about the future ownership of the Telegraph,” Chris Evans...