FOUR SNP MPs are demanding major changes to the BBC, otherwise they will back a campaign for Scots not to pay the television licence fee which funds the broadcaster.
Kenny MacAskill, Angus MacNeil, Douglas Chapman and Neale Hanvey have written a letter to director-general Tim Davie arguing the service is failing viewers in Scotland and pointing to a “significant disquiet over editorial balance”.
They criticise Davie’s own appointment in June and expressed concern Prime Minister Boris Johnson wanted former Telegraph editor Charles Moore to become the BBC’s new chairman. Moore turned down the role.
The letter follows public outrage in Scotland over the BBC’s decision to end the First Minister’s daily coronavirus briefings after pressure from opposition parties.
READ MORE: IN FULL: MPs' letter to BBC director-general threatening to back fee boycott
Tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the decision to be reversed and a protest took place outside the broadcaster’s Scottish headquarters in Glasgow. Bosses did restart the broadcasts but there was further anger after it emerged the new programme aimed at updating the population on the public health situation would include commentary from Tory and Labour politicians.
Trust in the BBC dipped during the 2014 referendum with Yes supporters turning away from the broadcaster believing its coverage was biased against independence.
“There is already significant disquiet in Scotland over editorial balance. From the reporting of the 2014 independence referendum through to more recent news reports and documentaries, there appears to be bias and an agenda relating to many in UK politics, but especially Scotland,” the letter stated.
“In addition to this BBC Scotland is unable to adequately deliver programmes, constrained by a small budget, limited broadcast hours and a perception that it is a political sticking plaster rather than a cherished channel in its own right.
“Further changes to the governance of the BBC now give the appearance of making the Corporation a political arm of the current Westminster Government.”
The MPs set out five key demands in a paper:
- Devolution of broadcasting and a properly funded BBC Scotland with full capacity to report the news and hold the powerful to account
- Abolition of the TV licence in Scotland
- Powers for Scotland to levy a broadcasting tax as is currently the case in Sweden
- A Scottish Government funded BBC Scotland (paid for with that broadcasting tax) which will buy into BBC programmes on the same basis that Ireland’s RTE does
- A form of consultation in Scotland to ensure the widest possible engagement with a programme for future broadcasting potential in
As the demands require UK Government action, the MPs have copied the letter to Davie to the UK’s culture secretary Oliver Dowden.
READ MORE: SNP MP: 'We should be able to watch Scotland match live on BBC'
The MPs went on: “We should also add that such is the level of concern in Scotland that many have already cancelled their licence fee within the legal rules. We are aware that there are also wider discussions ongoing amongst the Yes Movement for a national campaign to boycott the licence fee. Given the current service and future dangers that is in our view quite understandable.”
Asked about non-payment of the licence fee, MacAskill said: “If this situation continues and the crisis worsens then it may very well be there is no alternative.
“I for one will not pay a licence fee for Tory propaganda.”
He added: “There is considerable concern among the Yes movement and if there is no change and people felt that the situation was worsening I can understand that and I would be very sympathetic to it.”A review is under way by the UK Government into whether or not paying the licence fee should be a criminal offence.
Nearly 129,000 people were prosecuted in the UK for not having a licence in 2018.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We will respond in due course when we have seen the letter but it will appear that much of the content – on issues such as devolution – is a matter for the UK Government rather than the BBC.”
The UK Government was asked for a comment.
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