Labour peer Oona King is to become YouTube’s global director of diversity, saying the decision to move away from politics was made easier by Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party.
Google would not confirm the move, but it is understood she has agreed to take up the post and is on a leave of absence from the Lords.
According to the Evening Standard, King told guests at an event at the House of Commons including MPs from all parties that the move was “an amazing opportunity to go where the most exciting ideas are coming from.
“It’s looking at the future of broadcasting, because YouTube is the future of broadcasting.”
She added that the decision had been made easier “to an extent” by the changes under Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party.
She said: “I joined Labour because I wanted Britain to have a Labour prime minister. Until we change our leader I don’t think that’s a possibility.”
The former Labour MP, who unsuccessfully stood to be Labour candidate for London’s mayor, was Channel 4’s head of diversity before being made a peer in 2011.
• This article was amended on 22 July 2016 to correct the claim that King was a former London mayoral candidate
