The plan to freeze BBC funding and turn it over to subscription in 2027 is apparently all part of 'operation red meat'.

It's quite an apt name really as it just shows what we know which is that the Tory leadership are well aware of what its grass roots want...and indeed what many of its MPs want....but what they have been denying them for decades.

Other points in 'red meat' are a plan to send the military to curb the migrant crossing (don't see that one working out well personally) and a plan to cancel more Covid restrictions.

It's quite cynical really....Johnson and co are only looking at this because they are desperate to retain power and know that only support from the MPs and grass roots will allow that.

So they are deciding to throw the meat to their hungry lions when in truth we know they far prefer the soy and will probably go back to it once convenient.

Edited by Stirlingsays (17 Jan 2022 6.25am)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

I do.

Whilst the biased issue annoys me that is not the main issue for me. I genuinely don't like the non news content on the BBC which is why I stopped watching it. I would also add I almost never watch ITV and only watch movies on C4.

The difference is that the other terrestrial channels which I think are just as woeful as the BBC don't force me to pay so I don't care about them.

The BBC faces the same issues as the other terrestrial channels in that people are switching off and going to streaming so this issue is not unique to the beeb the licence tax is unique.

Edited by Badger11 (17 Jan 2022 8.06am)

One more point

In for a penny.

The Tories have been upset with the BBC since the nineties according to David Mellor who at that time defended the licence fee to his colleagues (and has now changed his mind).

The Tories know that scrapping the fee will bring the full weight of the BBC / Guardian and other sympathetic media against them looking to highlight every Tory misdemeanour. However since 2016 the BBC has been doing this rightly or wrongly Brexit / Immigration / Pro Corbyn etc. so if you are going to be damned you may as well get something out of it.

Politically I see no downside in the government taking on the BBC. Yes they will get flak and no doubt the beeb will continue to drag up every dirty little Tory secret whilst ignoring Labour's ones but they are doing that now anyway.

As for the voters I think most people either want the licence fee scrapped or at best our ambivalent. I don't see this as a big vote loser for the Tories.

As for the save our BBC campaign well no one is saying that the BBC should be scrapped just the licence fee. It is going to be difficult for them to persuade people that the BBC is so beloved and popular that you must continue to fund it by compulsion.

One more point

Good post. How many voters will object to saving money? Surprised Labour voted against a money saving initiative for the general public!

As others have said, its pure distraction at the moment but come the 2024 election, an absolute way of putting clear water between themselves and Labour.

Want to carry on paying the licence fee, then vote Labour. And if not...

Personally I thought they would offer a referendum on it by way of mirroring Brexit but this probably works a lot better. And Labour are hemmed in by their membership who LOVE the licence fee.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Not often I disagree with you Matov I think for the chattering classes it will be a big election issue but they vote Labour anyway. I really don't believe it will be a major part of people's voting reasons at the next election.

I can see people wanting to punish the Tories for COVID and sleaze so this maybe the cheery on top but I don't believe it will be a major policial issue even though the beeb and their friends will try to make it so.

One more point