Paul Dacre has pulled out of the race to be next Ofcom chief, explaining his decision in a letter to The Times and calling the process an “infelicitous dalliance with the Blob”:

“To anyone from the private sector, who, God forbid, has convictions, and is thinking of applying for a public appointment, I say the following: The civil service will control (and leak) everything; the process could take a year in which your life will be put on hold; and if you are possessed of an independent mind and are unassociated with the liberal/left, you will have more chance of winning the lottery than getting the job.”