The bigger issue is why are so many having to borrow from their future to pay for their present?

'Regulators' my arse.

Buy Litecoin.

Flamethrower the BBC and salt the earth.

(and CH4)

He owed £32,000 but is now clear of debt. It's a shame that they didn't cover how he got in to so much debt or how he got out of it again.

Us oldies will remember a time when a lot of personal finance was subject to strict controls. Mortgages were capped at a percentage of the asking price or valuation (I think it may have been 80%). Car finance was also subject to a maximum percentage of the purchase price too and credit cards and overdrafts were strictly geared to affordability

The government has started a consultation on decriminalising non payment of the licence fee.

[Link]

I of course want the licence to be abolished but this is a step in the right direct.

I find it strange that some people who defend the poor over non payment of essential like energy bills or rent and complain about them having to use food banks suddenly demand those same people must pay the licence.

Whilst I have an obvious bias I would point out that non payment of your council tax is not a criminal offence and all the government is suggesting is that the licence fee is brought in line with that. People will still be required to pay but it will be a civil matter rather than a criminal one.

C'mon Nicky Morgan get on with it.

One more point

Hmm first Gary Lineker now Nicky Campbell the words ship, leaving, rats and sinking spring to mind.

One more point

Some groups within a whole society will always think some things are unfair to them.

The real question is what is best for the whole. Whether you choose to use the BBC, or not, it is still there and providing a service to the whole and promoting our image and values to the world. That has to be paid for in some way.

If we are to avoid governments, of whatever colour, exercising direct influence then the BBC cannot be funded via taxation.

If we allow it to raise all of it's funding commercially then we put it at the mercy of commercial pressures.

I know many with strong political views, both on the right as can be found here but also on the left as can be found elsewhere, believe that the BBC has a political agenda hostile to them. I would rather the BBC found it's own balance within the rules established by it's charter. The key to that is ensuring that a strong management and oversight team is in place.

The questions over the very high salaries being paid to some presenters and whether they can be justified is a separate debate.

On balance I thing a licence fee system remains the most sensible answer to achieve what the BBC represents. It will never be popular but the alternatives seem worse. The danger is that in this age of populism the government will again deliver what the people want and not what they need.

We need politicians who are brave enough to say no to change when it isn't wise and strong enough to defend such decisions to the people.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.