Senior Tories Clash Over Proposed UAE Takeover of The Telegraph

Lord Hague urges intervention while Lord Johnson dismisses concerns as 'sentimental', as Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer considers regulatory scrutiny.

Lord Hague, former foreign secretary, has voiced opposition to the proposed takeover of The Telegraph by Abu Dhabi, calling it 'disturbing' and urging Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer to trigger a regulatory investigation.
The £1.2 billion deal would see control of The Telegraph and The Spectator handed over to RedBirdIMI, a fund backed by UAE vice-president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, raising concerns over press freedom due to the UAE's track record of media censorship.
Lord Johnson, the investment minister, has dismissed concerns over the potential takeover as 'sentimental', arguing that traditional news sources hold less sway in the current media landscape.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has stated she is considering issuing a Public Interest Intervention Notice (PIIN), which would trigger regulatory scrutiny of the bid.
The proposed deal has halted an auction for the newspaper launched by Lloyds Banking Group, which took control of The Telegraph and The Spectator in June.