Richard Sharp is right: the BBC should remain as an independent institution

Editorial: It is important to address the way in which the public broadcaster is funded

The corporation must retain its financial independence from the government (Getty)

We are not due another public quarrel about the licence fee for another three or four years, as the British Broadcasting Corporation’s 10-year charter comes up for renewal at the end of 2027. But there is no harm in canvassing some of the options long before time, so we should welcome Richard Sharp’s contribution to the debate.

Mr Sharp was in our view a good chair of the BBC, and if his appointment had been above suspicion he would be chair still. Unfortunately, he failed to disclose the help he had given Boris Johnson, who was then prime minister, with his personal finances shortly before Mr Johnson appointed him to the post. Mr Sharp rightly resigned in April this year.