We have been here before — and not long ago. When Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries tweeted on Sunday that “[t]his licence fee announcement will be the last”, she was renewing a battle against the BBC that was last fought by the Government two years ago. Reprimanded by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for unveiling such an important decision on social media rather than in the Commons, Dorries softened her language a little but confirmed that the licence fee would indeed be frozen at £159 for two years as its future was discussed in detail.
The real-terms cut to the BBC’s funding would, she said, offer relief to those most vulnerable to the cost of the living crisis and encourage the corporation to seek new efficiencies. “We are supporting households at a time when they need that support the most and this settlement sends an important message about keeping costs down,” she said.
