Exclusive: Appointment of ex-Amazon UK boss prompts group letter to chancellor airing fears over approach to big tech

The appointment of the former boss of Amazon UK to lead the competition watchdog poses a threat to its independence and pledge to hold big tech to account, according to a group including tech companies and the former business secretary Vince Cable.

The group – which includes the News Media Association, the Firefox developer Mozilla, the consumer group Which? and the Future of Technology Institute – has written to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to raise concerns about the appointment of Doug Gurr as the interim chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).