Blunder Reveals Revived C4 Privatisation Plan

A careless Downing Street official has revealed that the Government is reviving plans to privatise Channel 4, despite recent denials.

Photographer Steve Back captured a secret Whitehall document tucked under the official's arm, headed "Assessment of Channel 4 Corporation Reform Options", outside No. 10.

Beneath the words "official - sensitive: commercial", the document is dated September 24, 2015 and addressed to two Secretaries of State, possibly Culture chief John Whittingdale and Business supremo Sajid Javid.

It then says: "In your recent meeting with Matt Hancock (Cabinet Office minister) you agreed that work should proceed to examine the options for extracting greater public value for the Channel 4 Corporation (C4C), focusing on privatisation options in particular, whilst protecting its ability to deliver against its remit."

Steve Back has form for revealing sensitive documents carried by visitors to 10 Downing Street.

His previous victims include Labour ministers Peter Mandelson, Hazel Blears and Caroline Flint, Tory minister Andrew Mitchell and anti-terror chief Bob Quick, who was forced to resign after his blunder.

Despite the emergence of the photo, a Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) spokeswoman said: "The Government has made no decisions regarding reform of Channel 4.

"Channel 4 has an important remit and we are looking at a range of options as to how to continue to deliver this, including options put forward by Channel 4."

Privatising Channel 4 is not a new proposal, however.

It was considered by Gordon Brown when he was shadow chancellor back in the mid-1990s, but he dropped the idea in 2000 after fierce protests from the channel's bosses.

It was then proposed by the Conservatives during the Coalition government, but was blocked by the Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable.

But after reports in July that the newly-elected Tory government was looking at a sell-off once again, Mr Whittingdale told the Edinburgh International Television Festival in August that it was not currently being discussed, but he did not rule out future privatisation.

Earlier this month in the Commons, Broadcasting Minister Ed Vaizey faced pressure from right-wing Tory MPs to justify the benefits of taxpayers owning a "left-wing broadcaster".

He said the value of Channel 4's public stake had not been estimated by the Government, prompting ex-minister Christopher Chope to declare: "Well, in that case, isn't it about time they did?"

Mr Chope told MPs: "Channel 4 has a turnover of about £1bn a year and assets of roughly half-a-billion, and surely the taxpayer stake in it could be sold and help the Chancellor with his agenda."

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "Channel 4's not-for-profit model enables it to deliver significant public value to viewers and the UK economy with a unique remit focussed on innovation, diversity and new talent."