BBC Charter Renewal
Debate between Lee Anderson and Torcuil Crichton(3 days, 12 hours ago)
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Lee Anderson
I am quite happy to declare that; it is on my Register of Members’ Financial Interests. It is £100,000 a year and it is probably more than the hon. Member will ever get paid for appearing on TV, if he gets paid anything at all.
I am not paying my licence fee. I have not paid it for around 10 years. I am not paying to subsidise the pensions of people like Huw Edwards. Some people in this room—probably all of them—may think I am being a bit unfair on the BBC, but I challenge anybody in this room to get on their phones right now and find evidence of another broadcaster that has been riddled with as many scandals as the BBC.
People should not be forced to pay for a service that they do not use. Yes, it still makes some great programmes, but it should be a subscription service.
Torcuil Crichton
Does the hon. Member watch or listen to the BBC because, if he does, he is obliged to pay his licence fee?
Lee Anderson
I do not listen to the BBC at all and I do not watch live TV. I do not get enough time, as a Member of Parliament and a TV presenter. All my time seems to be taken up with that.
I will finish with this: I hope the Minister agrees with me and the vast majority of the British public that people should have a choice. It should be a subscription service, and then people can decide whether or not they watch it and whether or not they pay for it.