Tories undermining the BBC and putting programming at risk

Responding to the Government's launch of a public consultation on whether failure to pay the TV licence fee should no longer be a criminal offence, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

"The BBC, like the NHS, is a national treasure and this is a blatant attempt to kill it off.

"These proposed changes - which could deprive the BBC of more than £200 million - would put at risk the BBC's investment in our homegrown British talent, and leave TV content at the mercy of US corporates.

"Those who do pay will resent free-loaders and vulnerable people who can't afford to pay will be put at the mercy of bailiffs and bad credit scores.

"Liberal Democrats will fight to protect the BBC and stand up to this Conservative Government's growing threat to independent journalism."