The next three days could have major consequences for the British media landscape. On Monday, Ofcom will deliver its findings to Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary, on the proposed acquisition by the UAE-backed RedBird IMI of the Telegraph and Spectator titles. Then on Wednesday, Baroness Stowell’s amendment to the Digital Markets Bill is being debated in the House of Lords. If passed, this would give parliament a veto on foreign states owning UK media outlets.

That process could well be overtaken by events in parliament

Ofcom’s report will examine the impact of the deal on the need for accurate presentation of news and free expression of opinion in newspapers. Lucy Frazer has repeatedly stressed throughout the process that she is unable to comment on proceedings, insisting that her role is ‘quasi-judicial’. However after Ofcom delivers its report, she will have to decide whether she wants to launch an in-depth investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority which could last until October.

That process could well be overtaken by events in parliament. Tina Stowell has this afternoon written to Labour peers, urging them to back her amendment on Wednesday afternoon. In her letter she cites media reports suggesting that the Labour frontbench in the Upper House intend to abstain from voting, ‘giving Labour backbenchers the freedom to vote for the amendment without defying the whip. I am therefore writing to Labour peers directly seeking your support in the Content Lobby [the Lords’ Aye Lobby].’ It comes after Thangham Debbonaire, the shadow culture secretary, warned of ‘legitimate public interest concerns’ over the sale back in January.

In her letter, Stowell goes on to say that she has had ‘a collective commitment of support from the Lib Dems and support from a significant number of crossbenchers’ alongside ‘a positive response from many Conservative colleagues on my own benches.’ In the Commons, Robert Jenrick’s letter backing Stowell has the support of more than 100 MPs from five different parties. Two parliamentary debates have recently been triggered by the proposed RedBird sale. Both were notable for the near-unanimity of opinion against foreign state ownership of the press.

Ministers and the Whips’ Office now have to decide whether to continue resisting Stowell’s amendment. If they do accept it, the amendment would likely ‘kibosh’ the RedBird IMI deal, in the words of one government source. An almighty row has gone on behind the scenes in Whitehall, with various Tory MPs of different camps over whether to support or oppose the deal. Some fear legal action if the deal is blocked; others favour a long drawn-out process lasting until the election.