BTC questions Doug Gurr on his suitability to lead the CMA prior to his confirmation in post
Today at 2.35pm the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee will question former head of Amazon UK Doug Gurr to assess his suitability for the role of Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), prior to the Secretary of State confirming him in post.
Meeting details
Mr Gurr has been acting Chair of the CMA since the sudden departure of the previous Chair, Marcus Bokkerink, in January 2025, in what the Government described as “a bid to boost growth and support the economy”.
But that move raised concerns about the CMA’s independence, which have not gone away with the proposal to abolish the independent panel that scrutinises Phase II merger and markets decisions - potentially inviting more government involvement in decisions and more pressure from companies keen to do deals in the UK. In November 2025 it was reported that two more board members had left the CMA and that concerns about government interference may have been a factor in at least one of the resignations.
Questions also persist about the CMA’s performance in its core roles ensuring competition and fair pricing for consumers. The CMA had previously taken up to five years to investigate Google and Amazon’s response to the proliferation of fake seller reviews on their online marketplaces, and gained a raft of new powers in regard to tech companies in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Bill in May 2024.
Following Mr Gurr’s appointment, the media reported that the CMA did not block a single proposed merger it considered in 2025 - the first time that’s happened since 2017. Other data suggest that in fact 0.1% of mergers it considered – 1 out of 881 - were abandoned or blocked.
In the search for economic growth, is the Government potentially exposing British consumers to new risks at a time when they can least afford it? Is Mr Gurr the right candidate to guide the organisation to strike this balance?
After the hearing the Committee will prepare its report on the appointment, which will be published as soon as possible afterwards.
Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Committee, said: “The CMA exists to protect competition and keep markets fair for consumers.
“At a time when households are under pressure and the Government is promising growth, there are real questions about whether the CMA is tough enough, fair enough and fast enough. Delivering that requires the right leadership from the top. So our hearing will examine whether Mr Gurr is the right person to lead an authority that must support growth - but never at the expense of fair competition or protection for Britain’s hard-pressed consumers.”