The campaign group Defund the BBC is ramping up it’s activity after the Beeb confirmed three million more households will be forced to pay for a licence fee from next month. They are appealing for funds via a Go Fund Me Page, which Guido readers can find here, so they can keep the pressure on the government, just as reports suggest decriminalisation of non-payment of the fee is “on the agenda”.
The BBC ignored their promise to former Chancellor George Osborne when they moved to target the elderly, meaning over-75s could now be jailed for not funding them. Defund The BBC is now the largest group pushing to end the BBC’s stranglehold over UK media, after recently assembling an experienced campaign team.
Successive governments have backed away from confrontation with the BBC at the last minute and the vital movement is looking to seize the moment and make sure Boris does not back down.
The BBC has said decriminalisation could cost them up to £1 billion over five years as many viewers, tired of their content and perceived bias, are expected to cancel licence fees en masse. It would be a huge boost for other news providers and public service broadcasters, who do not threaten to send grannies to jail, and will hopefully bring about fairness in the media and greater balance on our TVs.
