Tories vow to scrap licence payment in 5 years as £2bn cuts imposed on BBC

The Conservatives have mentioned they are going to scrap the BBC licence payment on the subsequent alternative – if they’re nonetheless in authorities.

Unveiling a £2bn price range reduce for the general public broadcaster Tradition Secretary Nadine Dorries mentioned this yr’s funding announcement “would be the final”.

The BBC’s constitution comes up for renewal in 2027, and Ms Dorries made clear on Sunday that she needs to make use of that chance to abolish the payment.

As an alternative, the UK ought to “focus on and debate new methods of funding, supporting and promoting” tv programmes, she argued.

“This licence payment announcement would be the final. The times of the aged being threatened with jail sentences and bailiffs knocking on doorways, are over,” she mentioned on Sunday.

The tradition secretary is anticipated to freeze the annual licence at £159 for the following two years, with 5.1 per cent inflation anticipated to imply actual phrases £2 billion cuts to its price range.

The Mail on Sunday reported that Ms Dorries can also be contemplating taking the cuts additional and pegging future payment will increase to beneath inflation between 2024 and 2027.

This may find yourself with even additional real-terms reductions to the Company’s price range.

Some Tories have lengthy been against the BBC on ideological grounds, arguing that tv needs to be privately run and never within the fingers of the general public.

An ally of Ms Dorries instructed the Mail on Sunday that she believed “the times of state-run TV are over”.

“It’s not but clear whether or not the longer term will likely be share possession or subscription, however there will likely be no extra licence payment renewals so long as Boris is PM.”