UK Communities Secretary Michael Gove has apologised after an investigation found he failed to declare VIP hospitality at QPR football matches and his role as a governor of the Ditchley Foundation, breaches deemed minor by the Standards Commissioner.
Michael Gove, the UK Communities Secretary, has apologised for not declaring VIP hospitality he received at three Queens Park Rangers (QPR) football matches between 2020 and 2022, following an investigation sparked by a report by The Guardian. The hospitality was valued between £552 and £650 for games against Leeds United, Millwall, and Reading, and was attended with his son. The investigation also covered Gove’s failure to declare his role as a governor of the Ditchley Foundation, a charity aimed at promoting international peace and order.
The Standards Commissioner found Gove in breach of Commons rules for these omissions but deemed the breaches as minor and did not propose further penalties. Gove’s failure to disclose these gifts and unpaid role came under scrutiny, especially after revelations of his attendance at a QPR match in August 2021 with Conservative donor David Meller, whose company was awarded £164m in contracts for personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In his response, Gove expressed regret for the oversight and extended his apologies for not registering these interests in a timely manner. Despite the controversy regarding the potential conflict of interest with the PPE contracts, the Standards Commissioner’s swift investigation and Gove’s subsequent apologies have concluded the matter, acknowledging the breaches as minor and allowing for the late declarations to rectify the register without further repercussions.
