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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sugar 'must choose' between jobs | Sugar 'must choose' between jobs |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Conservatives say Sir Alan Sugar must choose between working for the government and working for the BBC as the star of The Apprentice. | The Conservatives say Sir Alan Sugar must choose between working for the government and working for the BBC as the star of The Apprentice. |
| They say his new role as an "enterprise tsar" for the government is "completely incompatible" with BBC rules. | They say his new role as an "enterprise tsar" for the government is "completely incompatible" with BBC rules. |
| Sir Alan, who will also be made a lord, denied he was joining the government. | Sir Alan, who will also be made a lord, denied he was joining the government. |
| "As far as I'm concerned, this is politically neutral. All I want to do is to try and help businesses and enterprise," he told the BBC. | "As far as I'm concerned, this is politically neutral. All I want to do is to try and help businesses and enterprise," he told the BBC. |
| News of Sir Alan's appointment came on Friday as Gordon Brown reshuffled his cabinet. | News of Sir Alan's appointment came on Friday as Gordon Brown reshuffled his cabinet. |
| 'Not political' | 'Not political' |
| Asked whether it had been a publicity stunt, Sir Alan told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "It's a shame it looks like that but I'm sure that ... you know I'm not the type of person to be used. | Asked whether it had been a publicity stunt, Sir Alan told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "It's a shame it looks like that but I'm sure that ... you know I'm not the type of person to be used. |
| "I have a passion and commitment to try and help small businesses and enterprise to see if we can get things moving again." | "I have a passion and commitment to try and help small businesses and enterprise to see if we can get things moving again." |
| Sir Alan Sugar needs to make a choice between his role in The Apprentice and his role as the government's business tsar Jeremy HuntConservatives Sir Alan hired in government role | Sir Alan Sugar needs to make a choice between his role in The Apprentice and his role as the government's business tsar Jeremy HuntConservatives Sir Alan hired in government role |
| He denied he had joined the government, saying: "I wouldn't join the government, I don't see this as a political thing." | He denied he had joined the government, saying: "I wouldn't join the government, I don't see this as a political thing." |
| He said he made it "perfectly clear" to Mr Brown that he would not compromise his position on The Apprentice - the BBC show that Sir Alan fronts. | He said he made it "perfectly clear" to Mr Brown that he would not compromise his position on The Apprentice - the BBC show that Sir Alan fronts. |
| He said he had spoken to the BBC in advance for guidelines on the issue adding: "It's very simple - all I am is an adviser, I'm not a policymaker." | He said he had spoken to the BBC in advance for guidelines on the issue adding: "It's very simple - all I am is an adviser, I'm not a policymaker." |
| Asked whether he would become a peer, Sir Alan replied: "That's what I hear." | Asked whether he would become a peer, Sir Alan replied: "That's what I hear." |
| Asked whether he would continue in the "enterprise tsar" role under a Conservative government, Sir Alan - who said he had known Mr Brown for years - said: "As far as I'm concerned this is politically neutral. All I want to do is try and help business and entrepreneurs." | Asked whether he would continue in the "enterprise tsar" role under a Conservative government, Sir Alan - who said he had known Mr Brown for years - said: "As far as I'm concerned this is politically neutral. All I want to do is try and help business and entrepreneurs." |
| On the Tory leader he said: "I have never met Mr Cameron and I don't know anything about him." | On the Tory leader he said: "I have never met Mr Cameron and I don't know anything about him." |
| But the Conservatives said Sir Alan's role on The Apprentice was now "completely incompatible" with BBC rules. | But the Conservatives said Sir Alan's role on The Apprentice was now "completely incompatible" with BBC rules. |
| Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Presenting a programme for the BBC and working for the government on the same issue is totally incompatible with the BBC's rules on political independence and impartiality. | Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Presenting a programme for the BBC and working for the government on the same issue is totally incompatible with the BBC's rules on political independence and impartiality. |
| "Sir Alan Sugar needs to make a choice between his role in The Apprentice and his role as the government's business tsar." | "Sir Alan Sugar needs to make a choice between his role in The Apprentice and his role as the government's business tsar." |
| He said he had written to BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons to ask "as a matter of urgency to explain who at the BBC gave guidance to Sir Alan and whether he had informed them that he would be a Labour peer". | He said he had written to BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons to ask "as a matter of urgency to explain who at the BBC gave guidance to Sir Alan and whether he had informed them that he would be a Labour peer". |
| A spokesman for the BBC Trust said it was aware that Mr Hunt had written to its chairman and would respond shortly. |