Tessa Jowell faces backlash over BBC Trust accusations

Former Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell was today accused of having “a damned cheek” for suggesting political interference was hampering the hunt for the next BBC Trust chairman.

Tory MP Philip Davies’ attack came after Dame Tessa said David Cameron was “meddling” in the search to find a new head for the Corporation.

The spat comes after the leading candidate for the job, Lord Coe, ruled himself out earlier this week.

In an interview Dame Tessa said the Prime Minister and Chancellor George Osborne had deterred top contenders from applying by interfering with the search.

But today Mr Davies said Labour tried to appoint “stooges” to influential posts while in power and added: “Tessa Jowell has got a damned cheek, to be perfectly honest. She must think we’re stupid and I’m not quite sure how she’s got the brass neck to say that.”

Mr Davies, who sits on the Commons Culture Committee, said: “Personally I think the best person for the job by a country mile is Archie Norman” — the chairman of ITV.

Lord Patten submitted his resignation as BBC Trust chairman earlier this year. But Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne’s preferred contender Lord Coe pulled out at the start of the week, to concentrate on his activities in sport.

Interviews for the £110,000-a-year job have been ongoing this week but concerns have been raised that the shortlist does not include enough heavyweight figures.

Dame Tessa, speaking to The Guardian, said “political meddling” by the Prime Minister and Mr Osborne “is a disgraceful assault on the independence of the BBC. The behaviour of government ministers has made it an unappealing prospect for very high-calibre potential candidates”.

Former Prudential UK chief executive Nick Prettejohn is now understood to be a frontrunner for the post.